This new agreement with the Saudi airline is one of the most multi-million dollar deals in the world

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The Metropolitano gets another makeover: it will now be the Riyadh Air Metropolitano

Atlético de Madrid's stadium is about to change its name again. The home of the red and white, which has already gone through several names, will now be known as the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, thanks to an agreement reached between the Madrid club and the Saudi airline. This will be the third name change since the stadium opened in 2017, when it was initially known as the Wanda Metropolitano, and the news has already generated excitement among supporters.

The Metropolitano has witnessed several sponsor changes throughout its short history. Since opening its doors for the 2017-2018 season, the stadium was christened Wanda Metropolitano, the result of an agreement with Chinese giant Wanda Group, which then had a stake in Atlético de Madrid. This sponsorship lasted until the 2021-2022 campaign, making the name of the stadium an icon recognised by all Atlético fans.

In 2022, the name of the stadium changed again, this time thanks to an agreement with Cívitas, a construction company from Extremadura that is also behind Atlético's future sports city, located around the stadium itself. Thus, the stadium became the Cívitas Metropolitano, the name by which it has been known until now. However, this stage has also been brief, as in the last few weeks a new agreement has been closed with Riyadh Air, the Saudi airline that was already one of the main sponsors of the Madrid team.

The agreement with Riyadh Air comes as no surprise to Athletic fans, as the Saudi airline has been one of the club's main sponsors since last year, with its logo prominently displayed on the shirts of the men's first team. This sponsorship, signed until 2027, has been a great success for both the club and the brand, and now, with this new contract, the alliance has been strengthened.

The new agreement, which will extend its presence beyond the shirts, has been signed until 2033, according to information reported by the newspaper Expansión and confirmed by the EFE agency. With this contract, Riyadh Air will give its name to the stadium for the next nine years, making it one of the most important commercial agreements in the recent history of Atlético de Madrid.

The contract signed between Atlético de Madrid and Riyadh Air is one of the most lucrative in the world of football. According to estimates, the deal is in the range of 250 to 300 million euros, depending on whether bonuses and the previous shirt sponsorship, which was already in place, are also taken into account. These figures make it one of the most valuable sponsorships in the history of the Madrid club.

This new contract not only means a significant income for Atlético de Madrid's coffers, but also strengthens the presence of international brands in European football, in this case with a strong Saudi investment, in line with the trends of recent years in elite sport.

The stadium's name change will be effective immediately, meaning that Atlético de Madrid fans will be able to see the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in its full glory at the next La Liga match, when Atlético de Madrid hosts Leganés on 20 October. Work to replace the lettering on the stadium's façade has already begun, and it is expected that everything will be ready for the match.

This move also reflects Atlético de Madrid's ambition to continue to grow both on a sporting and commercial level. With the construction of its new sports city underway, and a sponsorship agreement that guarantees financial stability for the coming years, the club remains committed to projects that will consolidate its place among Europe's greats.

With this new name, Atlético de Madrid's stadium enters a new era. For red and white fans, the Metropolitano is much more than just a place where matches are played; it is home to their best memories and recent historic moments, such as the UEFA Champions League final in 2019. Now, under the name Riyadh Air Metropolitano, it is hoped that more magical nights and achievements will continue to enrich the club's history.

The fans are used to these name changes, but what is important to them is that the stadium remains the fortress in which their team shines every season, no matter what brand is on the façade.