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The FA Cup will be known as The Emirates FA Cup from next season

The FA Cup will be rebranded as The Emirates FA Cup after the Football Association signed a three-year contract with the Dubai-based airline.

The deal, which starts next season and runs until 2018, means Emirates become the first title sponsor of football's oldest knockout competition.

"The partnership will help take the tournament to new audiences," FA chairman Greg Dyke said.

Budweiser ended its three-year association with the FA Cup last year.

Budweiser's deal with the FA was styled as "in association with", but the new agreement with Emirates sees the 144-year-old competition get a title sponsor for the first time.

Emirates Airline already sponsor Arsenal's stadium and shirts, and the company also has partnership agreements with AC Milan, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Hamburg, Benfica and Paris St-Germain.