Manchester United have made the decision to rename their iconic stadium, meaning it will no longer be known as Old Trafford.

Manchester United’s shirt sponsor, Snapdragon, is reportedly interested in acquiring the naming rights to Old Trafford or any future stadium that the club might construct. This development comes as Manchester United forms a task force to assess the feasibility of either redeveloping their iconic stadium or building a new one. The current structure of Old Trafford presents challenges, particularly due to the railway line behind the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and the nearby Bridgewater Canal.

The club’s ambition includes creating a 100,000-seater stadium, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe envisioning a “Wembley of the north.” This could be achieved through either renovating Old Trafford or constructing a new stadium on land the club owns adjacent to the current site. To finance such a project, Manchester United is open to the idea of selling naming rights, potentially bringing in substantial revenue.

Snapdragon, a brand under Qualcomm, recently replaced TeamViewer as Manchester United’s front-of-shirt sponsor. Don McGuire, Qualcomm’s Chief Marketing Officer, has expressed interest in expanding their partnership with the club, potentially by acquiring stadium naming rights. McGuire suggested that while Old Trafford should retain its historic name, there could be room for a partnership where the stadium incorporates Snapdragon branding or technology.

Qualcomm is already collaborating with Manchester United on technology and innovation projects at Old Trafford and the club’s training facility, Carrington. While the shirt sponsorship deal is significant, Qualcomm is exploring opportunities to further deepen its relationship with the club.

The sale of stadium naming rights, while common in modern football, remains relatively rare in the Premier League. Currently, only a few Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester City, and Leicester City, have sold naming rights to their stadiums. Tottenham Hotspur, with their state-of-the-art stadium, have yet to secure a long-term naming rights partner, despite keeping the official name as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to enhance the club’s brand.

This potential move by Manchester United reflects a broader trend in football, where commercial partnerships and branding opportunities are increasingly influencing decisions about stadium names and renovations. Whether Old Trafford will undergo a name change in the future remains to be seen, but Snapdragon’s interest suggests significant developments could be on the horizon for one of football’s most storied venues.