Sobha Realty Acquires First-ever Naming Rights, Renames Arsenal FC Training Ground to ‘Sobha Realty Training Centre’

Arsenal and Sobha Realty have today announced a new long-term vision for their partnership which will see the Dubai-based luxury real estate developer becoming the club’s first ever training ground naming rights partner, and the training ground being renamed as Sobha Realty Training Centre.

Arsenal FC training ground renamed as Sobha Realty Training Centre

As part of the same agreement, Sobha Realty becomes a Principal Partner of Arsenal and the official training kit sleeve partner for the club’s men’s and women’s teams.

The partnership will see Arsenal benefit from Sobha Realty’s unrivalled expertise in property and real estate to explore the development opportunities at the club’s training ground. This supports the ambition to engineer excellence and to create the best possible environment for the men’s and women’s players, coaches, and staff.

The partnership will also help Sobha Realty bring its vision to fruition of being a truly global real estate player to life, with expansion plans in the UK and US in addition to helping the brand Sobha become more recognisable amongst its target audiences around the world.

Arsenal Chief Commercial Officer, Juliet Slot said, “Sobha Realty is a dynamic business with big ambitions. We’re excited to build on our partnership and tap into their extensive knowledge in property development. Their unrivalled experience will help us understand and explore the opportunities available to us, ensuring we’re always moving forward with world-class facilities for the future.

Our exciting new deal is a strong sign of our commitment to building mutually beneficial partnerships which support the objectives of both Arsenal and our partner. This is a groundbreaking agreement for both of us, with Sobha becoming our first ever training ground naming rights partner, supporting their global growth ambitions as they seek to establish a stronger presence worldwide.

Our new partnership shows the strength of our commercial proposition and our ability to grow sustainably by developing commercial opportunities that can be invested back into our club. There has never been a better time to join us on our journey.”

Arsenal Sporting Director, Edu said, “This is a very exciting agreement that will help us develop the best possible environment for our men’s and women’s players, coaches and support staff for years to come. Our training centre is a big part of our people’s lives. It’s not just about working hard on the pitches, but also working in our office spaces, learning, relaxing and spending time with teammates, colleagues and their families. We are building a winning team and a winning culture; attention to detail is very important and it’s crucial that our people have the right conditions to prepare well and perform at their best.“

Ravi Menon, Co-chairman of Sobha Realty, said, “At Sobha Realty, we aim to establish robust partnerships that transcend boundaries, and our journey with Arsenal exemplifies this ethos. From securing the naming rights at The WM club to becoming a Principal Partner and renaming the club’s training ground as “Sobha Realty Training Centre”, highlights the evolution of our collaborations and our commitment to fostering excellence.

Together, we seek to leave a lasting legacy and make a significant impact that goes beyond sponsorship. This collaboration represents our commitment to quality, expansion and innovation, not just in the US and the UK, but on an international scale. Our global targets complement Arsenal’s remarkable legacy and together we aim to explore new horizons.”

Francis Alfred, Managing Director of Sobha Realty, said, “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Arsenal to new heights by securing this landmark naming rights under which the club’s training ground will be renamed Sobha Realty Training Centre.

The agreement highlights our steadfast commitment towards promoting excellence in both real estate and sports, as it paves new paths of development for both Sobha Realty and Arsenal. As the first-ever naming rights partner of Arsenal’s training ground, we seek to leverage our extensive experience in the field of real estate development to create an ideal environment for players and staff. The partnership exemplifies our robust commercial strategy and efforts to establish a stronger presence in international markets.“

Arsenal and Sobha Realty first came together in September 2023 with the luxury developer securing naming rights to The WM Club – a premium match day hospitality suite at Emirates Stadium – which has since been redesigned and is now known as ‘The WM Club, Presented by Sobha’.

Sobha Realty branding has also featured at men’s and women’s home fixtures at Emirates Stadium and Meadow Park since the launch of the partnership, supporting the property developer’s ambitions to grow their brand in the UK, United States and around the world.