Emirates has announced its contract as the main sponsor and official airline of the King Salman Club Cup in 2023, aligning with the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

The tournament deal, starting on 27 July, provides Emirates with in-stadium brand visibility as well as on-site advertising during the King Salman Cup - the UAFA region's premier club championship.

Jabr Al-Azeeby, vice-president of Emirates airline for Saudi Arabia remarked on the new partnership: “Emirates is one of the biggest names in sports and is heavily involved in the sport of soccer, helping fans get closer to the action and engaging in ways that go far beyond logo recognition.

“We’re committed to engaging with fans across new soccer frontiers by supporting the King Salman Cup 2023. We’re also incredibly proud to play a role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision to become a global powerhouse for professional sports."

Emirates said it aims to contribute to Saudi’s Vision 2030 by helping to grow the Kingdom’s aviation sector and stimulating robust traffic growth, increasing connectivity and deepening its global footprint.

Emirates has placed soccer at the heart of its sponsorship portfolio.

The airline's logo has appeared on the shirts of top international clubs such as AC Milan, Real Madrid, SL Benfica, Arsenal and Olympique Lyonnais.

According to GlobalData’s sponsorship sector report, 75.2% of Emirates Airline’s total sponsorship spending is on soccer deals.

The report found that sports sponsorship in 2023 has a projected value of $990m, with soccer representing the most lucrative market for airline sponsorship sector spending.