Atlético Madrid's Stadium Changes Its Name: Here's What It's Called Now
Cívitas Metropolitano no more. It will now be called something else, marking the third name for the home of the red-and-white club since its construction.
Atlético Madrid officially confirmed on Wednesday that its stadium will be renamed Riyadh Air Metropolitano until 2033, replacing Cívitas, following the expansion of the sponsorship agreement with the Saudi airline to include the stadium's naming rights.
"Riyadh Air Metropolitano will now be the name of our stadium as per the agreement with our main sponsor, giving the red-and-white coliseum its name for the next nine seasons," the club announced on its official website, unveiling a giant banner at the stadium featuring the new sponsor's emblem.
The Saudi digital-native airline became Atlético’s main sponsor on August 10, 2023, and its logo has since been featured on the front of the men's first-team kits in all domestic and international matches this season.
Atlético stated that the relationship between the two entities "has been further strengthened with this new strategic agreement until the 2033 season, making the Saudi company the most important sponsor in the club's history."
The club did not disclose details or figures of the sponsorship deal, which will be "between €250 ($274 and €300 million ($329 million), including bonuses," according to Expansión, the newspaper that first reported on the agreement on Wednesday.
"It’s an honor to become the naming partner of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano and extend our association with Atlético Madrid until 2033. Both organizations are driven to succeed at the highest level, and having our name on such an iconic stadium will enhance Riyadh Air's global recognition," said Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, in a statement to Atlético's official media.
Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, Atlético’s CEO, expressed, "A little over a year after signing the sponsorship agreement with Riyadh Air, we are proud and pleased to announce the extension of our alliance, with the agreement that our stadium will now be called Riyadh Air Metropolitano. A big thanks to Tony Douglas and his team for trusting Atlético Madrid as a strategic partner for their ambitious global project."
"On October 20, when thousands of fans attend our next match against Leganés, it will be under the new name Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The full implementation of the new stadium name on the main, northeast, and southeast facades will take place in the coming weeks," the club added.
This marks the third name for the Metropolitano since its construction. From its opening in the 2017-18 season until 2021-22, the stadium was called Wanda Metropolitano due to a sponsorship deal with the Chinese conglomerate. In the 2022-23 season and the start of 2023-24, it was known as Cívitas Metropolitano, following a deal with the Spanish construction firm. Now, the stadium will be named Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Meanwhile, Cívitas Group, which previously held the stadium's naming rights, has "reached a new sponsorship agreement" with Atlético Madrid, ensuring their relationship "will continue for at least the next five years," according to another club statement.