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There’s a lot that London is famous for. Pubs on practically every corner, glorious green spaces from Hampstead Heath to Greenwich Park... and, of course, for having the home of England rugby, Twickenham Stadium.
But the Twickenham we all know and love will soon change. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced that, for the first time in the stadium’s 117-year existence, it’s going to be renamed. From September, a new sponsorship deal will see the venue named the Allianz Stadium.
Allianz is a German financial services company, and the historic deal will see Twickenham join several other major Allianz sports stadiums around the world – including those in Munich, Sydney and São Paulo.
After reporting a loss of £6.3m last year, the RFU has been toying with ways to protect Twickenham’s future as one of the world's leading rugby stadiums. The move makes Twickenham the first of England’s three major national sports venues to be rebranded, with the home of football, Wembley, and Lord’s Cricket Ground managing to hang onto their namesakes (for now).
It’s not been revealed how much Allianz paid for the naming rights, but given Twickenham has hosted England men’s rugby union games since 1909, it’s quite the legacy to inherit whatever the price tag. The deal will also see Allianz invest in strengthening grassroots and community rugby in England.
The England women’s rugby team will be the first to play in the Allianz Stadium on September 14 as they take on the world champions New Zealand, while the final of the 2025 Women’s World Cup will be also hosted in the stadium next year.
Time Out and London’s sports venues
Twickenham isn’t the only London stadium changing. One of the capital’s major tennis courts is being renamed after Andy Murray following his retirement from the game, and Arsenal has hinted at major renovations to the Emirates Stadium in north London. Prefer watching sports in a pub? Here is Time Out’s list of some of the best boozers in London to watch rugby.
ICYMI: This London sports team has collaborated with TfL for a limited-edition kit
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