Chelsea FC Secures Sponsorship with Dubai’s DAMAC Properties

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Chelsea Football Club has formed a new international partnership with DAMAC Properties, a leading luxury real estate developer based in Dubai.

Under the agreement, DAMAC becomes Chelsea’s Official Property Development Partner and will feature prominently as a shirt sponsor for the remainder of the 2024/2025 season.

DAMAC’s branding will feature on the front of Chelsea FC’s men’s and women’s team shirts, beginning with the upcoming UEFA Conference League semi-final clash against Djurgarden.

The collaboration gives DAMAC major visibility across matchday broadcasts, global digital channels and on-ground activations during one of the most high-profile stages of the football season.

A key element of the deal is the launch of Chelsea Residences by DAMAC – a first-of-its-kind branded real estate project in Dubai’s Maritime City. With plans for more than 1,400 residential units, the development weaves Chelsea FC’s identity throughout its design – from concierge services and wellness areas to high-performance amenities inspired by the club.

President and COO of Chelsea Football Club, Jason Gannon, expressed his support on the collaboration.

“With the club located in the heart of London, the collaboration will bring Chelsea to life in Dubai, support our continued growth on the global stage. We can’t wait to see Chelsea Residences take its place in the Dubai skyline,” he said via press release.

According to DAMAC, the project is designed to combine luxury beachfront living with football-inspired lifestyle offerings, targeting international buyers and Chelsea fans seeking a premium residential experience in the UAE.

Managing Director of Sales & Development of DAMAC Properties, Amira Sajwani, highlighted the significance of the collaboration, emphasising its groundbreaking nature.

“This launch marks the first of an elite collection that celebrates not just the passion of Chelsea FC but its enduring legacy, innovative spirit and relentless pursuit of excellence. This initiative goes beyond celebrating the beautiful game; it sets a new benchmark for those who expect nothing less than the exceptional, every time,” she said via press release.

The alliance represents the latest move by a football club to team up with a real estate brand to grow its commercial reach and lifestyle influence. For Chelsea, it’s a strategic step in bolstering its global presence, particularly across the Middle East – a region known for strong investment in both luxury development and European football.

From DAMAC’s perspective, the teaming up with Chelsea offers global brand exposure and a distinct market edge in Dubai’s competitive high-end property sector. The project adds to a growing trend of sports-branded real estate developments aimed at high-net-worth individuals and football enthusiasts who value exclusivity and brand alignment.

The integration of DAMAC’s real estate portfolio with Chelsea’s global brand presents strong potential for long-term returns through:

  • Property sales driven by Chelsea fan loyalty
  • Global media exposure via international football broadcasts
  • Co-branded luxury positioning across the hospitality, wellness and real estate sectors

This joint venture also highlights Chelsea’s evolving commercial strategy under its current ownership — with a focus on diversifying revenue streams, deepening international fan engagement, and forging cross-industry partnerships beyond traditional sports sponsorship.

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WA Government and Virgin Australia Partner to Bring Discounted Flights for Italian Football Series in Perth

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The Western Australian Government has partnered with Virgin Australia to offer discounted airfares to Perth ahead of a three-match series featuring AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Palermo, in a move that reflects how state governments are increasingly using major sporting fixtures as tools of tourism and economic strategy.

Subsidising travel costs rather than simply promoting the matches signals a shift in how state governments are approaching major sporting events. WA Tourism Minister Reece Whitby positioned the series within the state’s broader Winter of Unmissable Sport strategy, framing the partnership as a way to fill hotels, support local businesses and generate visible economic activity across a single week of programming. That logic places football alongside other major events states have used to justify public investment in visitor attraction, where the return is measured in tourism spend rather than ticket revenue alone.

A bet on Australia’s appetite for European football

Touring Italian clubs is not a routine occurrence in Australia, and Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti’s comments point to an underlying assumption behind the investment: that the existing fan base for European football in Australia is substantial enough to justify a state government underwriting travel costs to fill a stadium on the other side of the country.

Australian audiences for international football have grown considerably over the past decade, driven by streaming access, diaspora communities and the rising visibility of leagues once difficult to follow locally. State governments positioning themselves to capture economic value from that growth, rather than leaving it to broadcasters and travel operators, marks a change in how football’s commercial footprint in Australia is being treated by policymakers.

It also raises a question likely to recur as more international club fixtures are scheduled in Australian cities: whether public subsidy for travel around marquee football events delivers economic value beyond the host city, or whether the benefit is concentrated narrowly within the host state’s tourism and hospitality sectors. Virgin Australia’s involvement reflects the commercial logic on the airline side, with the partnership forming part of a broader push to connect Australians with major domestic and international destinations.

For the domestic football industry, the series is a reminder that international club football is competing for the same audience attention as the A-Leagues and grassroots competitions. Whether that competition proves complementary or extractive, in terms of where football-related spending in Australia ultimately lands, is a question state and national football bodies are likely to watch closely as similar fixtures become more frequent.

Referee Omar Artan appointed to UEFA Super Cup Final

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The Somali referee will officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup in August between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.

 

World Cup controversy to Super Cup support

As 2025’s CAF Men’s Referee of the Year, Artan stands as one of the world’s leading match officials.

His expertise and skill allowed him to enter FIFA’s international list in 2018, and has since proved an outstanding ability as a referee, culminating in the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year award last year.

Despite Artan’s capabilities and reputation, his dream of officiating this summer’s World Cup tournament met a premature ending. The referee couldn’t enter into the US after arriving on a diplomatic passport and single entry visa, and was subsequently forced to return home to Somalia.

But Artan’s journey as a referee on the global stage is far from over, as UEFA and CAF confirmed that Artan will officiate the UEFA Super Cup clash between Champions League winners, PSG, and Europa League winners, Aston Villa, in Salzburg this August.

 

Upholding the partnership

In April of this year, UEFA and CAF signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which promised to utilise mutual support to encourage development, inclusion and wellbeing in football.

The MoU aligns unity, cohesion and partnership between two powerhouse continents of world football.

And now, the alignment is stronger and clearer than ever. In the midst of a major blow to Artan’s personal and professional dreams, UEFA and CAF’s partnership provided an opportunity.

“Omar is an excellent young but already experienced referee, who has proven himself at the highest competition level of the Confederation of African Football,” said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin via media release.

“Football is made to connect people, and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination.”

Furthermore, CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, outlined why the initiative perfectly embodies the nature of a partnership between UEFA and CAF.

“This is a great honour for Omar Artan and for African referees and is also an excellent example of football bringing together and uniting people from Africa and Europe and worldwide.”

 

Final thoughts

Out of bitter disappointment and controversy comes a far more positive reflection of football’s influence and impact. It also proves that an MoU is more than just signatures, but a genuine promise to support the game and all within it.

A partnership like this has the power to help millions at once.

But sometimes, helping just one person is all it takes to prove its worth.

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