The FA and Umbro have agreed an extension to their partnership until 2018.
The partnership will fund a cross-section of areas key to the development of football in this country, including support of all Club England’s 23 football teams, including the men’s national teams, women’s, Futsal, disability and amateur; free Umbro kit and equipment for 4,000 amateur teams every year to support The FA Chartered Standard Clubs programme; and investment in 3,000 County FA courses every year, which train 60,000 players, referees and coaches annually.
Umbro will also continue to be a supporting partner of The FA Cup and Wembley Stadium.
“We are delighted to announce the extension of our contract with The Football Association,” says Martin Prothero, senior vice president of football at Umbro.
“Umbro has been part of English football longer than anyone and it is only natural that we work with The FA to develop the game.??
“We are absolutely committed to supporting The FA at all levels of the game, both broad and deep, and we feel now is the right time to show that commitment as we head into a new era for English football.”??
Alex Horne, FA general secretary, added: “We have a fantastic relationship with Umbro that spans almost 60 years.
“They are part of the fabric of English football and this significant long-term investment into our partnership demonstrates the enduring strength of the England brand.”??
Umbro has also launched a new kit for the start of England’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, building on the tailoring, style and performance elements of the previous home and current away kits.??
The shirt was revealed in a ‘new fabric of England’ team line-up featuring Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott, Adam Johnson and Joe Hart, alongside the likes of Jade Bailey, who at only 14 has represented England Women at U17 level; Eric Dier, the promising 16-year-old defender currently in the youth system at Sporting Lisbon; and Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, who was first called up to the senior squad for the August friendly against Hungary.??
“The fact that we have a new fabric for the shirt gave us an opportunity to celebrate the new fabric of England through the next generation of players,” says Trevor Cairns, chief marketing officer for Umbro.
The kit will be worn for the first time on September 3 by the England team for their Euro 2012 Qualifier against Bulgaria at Wembley.
