The FA Cup , the oldest knockout football competition in the world , is set to be rebranded as the Emirates FA Cup in a new £30million sponsorship deal . In a move that will upset traditionalists , the FA are understood to have secured a three-year contract with Emirates Airlines . The deal , due to be rubber-stamped by the FA board on Thursday , is believed to be worth at least £10million a year — but comes at a cost for lovers of the 144-year-old competition . Arsenal won last season 's FA Cup competition , which will be rebranded the Emirates FA Cup . Aston Villa will face the holders Arsenal in this season 's final at Wembley Stadium . Renaming it the Emirates FA Cup is a lot closer to title sponsorship than the previous ‘ in association with Budweiser ’ agreement , which was worth £9m annually . But the FA , after a highly embarrassing season without any Cup backer that has put huge pressure on their commercial department , needed to offer more to attract a significant sponsor to the table . The hunt proved hugely difficult even after the FA revamped their sponsorship team to bring in expertise honed at Manchester United . And it needed a bit of luck to attract Emirates Airlines , who have a massive sports sponsorship portfolio across the world that includes Arsenal ’ s stadium and kit . Emirates have big money to spend after deciding last November not to renew their £30m-a-year FIFA sponsorship for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups with the corruption allegations surrounding those tournaments said to be a consideration . And Emirates are no longer involved , either , in the tender for a Champions League airline sponsor , allowing the FA to offer a major football sponsorship alternative . Dubai-based Emirates have their arch Abu Dhabi airline rivals Etihad as Manchester City ’ s kit and stadium sponsors . But City foresee no problems with an Emirates FA Cup . Villa beat Liverpool in their semi-final to deny Steven Gerrard ( centre ) the chance of a final trophy . The new FA deal with Emirates will also allow for a further six subsidiary sponsors for the competition , with Budweiser , Nike and William Hill already signed up . And the ambition is for the whole FA Cup sponsorship portfolio to be worth £20m by 2018 . The Emirates deal , likely to be officially announced nearer to the FA Cup final on May 30 , is also well-timed for the FA ’ s commercial department with the new chief executive Martin Glenn arriving at Wembley next month .
FA Cup is set to be named Emirates FA Cup as part of sponsorship deal . It is understood FA have agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with Airline . The agreement is due to be rubber-stamped on Thursday and will be worth at least £10million-per-year .