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Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby, will be renamed for the first time under a sponsorship deal struck with the German insurer Allianz.
Under the terms of the deal, the 82,000-capacity arena will be known as the Allianz Stadium from September this year.
The financial details were not disclosed but the addition of a major partner is a boost for English rugby union, which relies on Twickenham to generate income to support and grow the game from grassroots to professional level.
The deal comes as the RFU continues work on plans to redevelop Twickenham in the coming decade amid mounting competition to host concerts.
Securing the stadium’s future is vital to the RFU and the future of the English game, which has endured a rocky period following the coronavirus pandemic and a financial crisis for rugby union clubs.
The stadium tie-up comes as the RFU, Premiership Rugby and the players’ association are close to announcing details of a new wide-ranging partnership regarding the future funding of professional clubs, player management and future working relationships.
Other sponsors hold naming rights for the Home Nations’ rugby stadiums, with the Irish team playing at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the Scottish team playing at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh and the Welsh team at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, sponsored by the Principality Building Society.
Twickenham has fallen behind other more modern stadiums in the UK, such as the one built by Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur, putting the onus on the RFU to keep up with rivals.
The first stands of the stadium were built in 1908, following the RFU’s purchase of a market garden just over 10 acres for around £5,572 the prior year.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate our stadium’s proud legacy while developing it for the future,” RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said.
Building work to redevelop the stadium could coincide with the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027, a year when Twickenham will hold fewer matches due to the tournament being held in Australia, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
Allianz, which is broadening an existing partnership with the RFU, has several partnerships in sports, including stadium naming rights deals with European football clubs Bayern Munich and Juventus.
“With each of the eight stadiums we now support around the world, we seek to create the best experience for fans, players, and local communities,” Allianz UK chief Colm Holmes said.
“Allianz Stadium is no different. We embrace our responsibility in carrying forward its extraordinary history as a stadium full of inspirational memories, team spirit, inclusion, and heart.”
The insurer previously sponsored Saracens but scrapped the partnership after the Premiership side was relegated due to breaches of the league’s salary cap rules.
Allianz is the title partner for Premiership Women’s Rugby, the highest level of the game in England, and official insurance, investment and asset management partner of England Rugby.
