England: Budweiser will finish sponsorship of FA Cup at the end of the 2013-14 season

The brewer Budweiser will finish its sponsorship of the FA Cup at the end of 2013-14, said the FA (English Football Association) on 07/02/2014. The American brand wants to focus on its partnership with FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) for the World Cups in 2014 (Brazil, from 12/06 to 13/07/2014), 2018 (Russia) and 2022 (Qatar).

Budweiser has been the major sponsor of the FA Cup since the 2010-11 season. The contract secured €9.75m in annual revenue for the FA. The two parties attempted to negotiate a contract extension for several days in January 2014, without reaching an agreement.

The FA announced that it would be looking for a new main sponsor for the FA Cup in 2014-15, without excluding the possibility of attaching the name of a brand to the competition's official name. The FA is currently creating a more experienced sales team in order to find a world-class partner.

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