Emirates (EK) and Arsenal FC unveiled a 2.4-metre illuminated sculpture called The Aircrafted Arsenal Crest at Emirates Stadium in London on August 9, 2026. Engineers built the piece from parts of the airline’s Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The reveal marks 20 years of the Emirates and Arsenal partnership and its extension through to 2033.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, and Richard Garlick, Chief Executive of Arsenal, unveiled the crest ahead of the club’s Emirates Cup match against Borussia Dortmund. The installation follows Arsenal’s Premier League-winning season and opens a new chapter in one of football’s longest-running sponsorships, according to a statement by Emirates.
Aircraft Parts Reborn as Arsenal’s Famous Cannon
The centrepiece of the sculpture is Arsenal’s cannon, an emblem that has appeared on every version of the club crest since 1905 and inspired the nickname “The Gunners.” Emirates Engineering rebuilt the cannon using components pulled directly from an A380.
The sculpture combines several distinct aircraft parts, each chosen for its shape and strength:
- A main landing gear wheel hub forms the centre of the cannon wheel.
- A titanium bleed air duct was cut and reshaped into the cannon barrel.
- Lightweight composite floor panels were built up into the cannon’s three-dimensional body.
- Sheets of Boeing 777 aluminium fuselage skin form the face of the shield.
- Aircraft cargo tracks shape the shield’s outer edge and internal structure.
- Cargo floor panels and roller components appear throughout the build.
- Aircraft windows were individually shaped into the Arsenal lettering and fitted with warm white lighting.
The finished piece was painted to match Arsenal’s official colours and set on a black tile base with additional lighting underneath.
Emirates Engineering Team Builds the Crest In 34 Days
Fifteen engineers, designers, mechanics, technicians and painters worked on the sculpture. The team came from Emirates Engineering’s Aircraft Material Upcycling division, based in Dubai, home to the airline’s main hub at Dubai International Airport (DXB).
Workers selected aircraft parts for their strength and shape before cleaning, cutting, curving, machining, riveting and assembling them by hand. The whole build took 34 days from start to finish. The completed crest then flew from Dubai to London aboard an Emirates SkyCargo freighter ahead of the unveiling.
Clark said that the carrier’s engineering team had transformed the components of its aircraft into “one of football’s most iconic symbols”, and said that the craftsmanship behind the Crest was “exceptional“:
It reflects the precision, discipline and ambition that define both aviation and elite sport, while giving these aircraft materials an entirely new purpose. As we enter the next chapter of our partnership, this sculpture is both a celebration of everything we have achieved together and a statement of our shared ambition for the future
Partnership Renewal Extends Emirates and Arsenal Deal To 2033
The crest arrives days after Arsenal and Emirates confirmed a long-term renewal of their sponsorship, keeping the airline as front-of-shirt, training kit and stadium naming rights partner through 2033. The prior agreement had been due to expire in 2028, and the current deal was reported to be worth around £45 million a year, with the new terms said to represent a significant increase, though exact figures were not disclosed.
Arsenal’s chief commercial officer Juliet Slot called the relationship one of world sport’s most defining partnerships, adding that the two organisations are in the strongest position they have ever been in together. Garlick linked the renewal directly to the club’s title win, saying Emirates has stood alongside Arsenal through the defining moments of the past two decades:
“We’re hugely grateful to Emirates for creating this special tribute to our club and to 20 years of partnership between us. The Crest stands as a powerful reflection of our relationship and everything we’ve achieved together along the way. We enter this next chapter together with confidence, ambition and a shared belief in what lies ahead for our partnership and our club.”
The renewal also builds on flagship initiatives tied to the partnership, including the annual Emirates Cup and the Global Gooners programme, which brings supporters from around the world to north London. Both clubs plan a series of supporter activities over the coming weeks to mark the anniversary, alongside the unveiling of the crest itself.
Second Tribute in Months to Arsenal’s Title-Winning Season
The crest is not Emirates’ first physical tribute to Arsenal’s 2025-26 Premier League title. In May 2026, the airline unveiled a special A380 livery featuring players Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard and Viktor Gyökeres alongside gold “Champions” lettering. That aircraft, registered A6-EOE, flew as flight EK001 from Dubai to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) on its first commemorative journey.
Both projects came from the same in-house Emirates Engineering unit, and both were timed around milestones in the club’s season. The livery celebrated the title itself, while the crest marks the broader 20-year partnership and its extension, giving Emirates two separate showcases for the same relationship within a single year.
Emirates Has Football Sponsorships Beyond Arsenal
Arsenal is one of several major clubs Emirates has sponsored over the years, alongside AC Milan and Real Madrid CF. The Real Madrid deal began in 2011 and turned into a shirt sponsorship in 2013, while the AC Milan partnership started in 2007 and has run through renewals since.
None of those other deals include stadium naming rights, which sets the Arsenal partnership apart. Emirates Stadium has carried the airline’s name since it opened in 2006, and that naming arrangement, paired with the shirt and training kit sponsorship, makes the Arsenal relationship the most complete of Emirates’ football tie-ups and the longest-running front-of-shirt partnership in the Premier League.
Crest To Become a Permanent Fixture at Emirates Stadium
Following its unveiling, the Aircrafted Arsenal Crest will be permanently displayed in Emirates’ hospitality space at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal and Emirates plan further activities over the coming weeks to mark the 20-year milestone, including a promotional film featuring former player Per Mertesacker.
The sculpture gives supporters a permanent, physical link between the club’s on-pitch identity and the aircraft that carry its name and colours around the world.
