English soccer club Manchester City has, as expected, confirmed that Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will be its shirt sponsor for the next three years.

The airline has been tipped for a number of weeks to secure the partnership with the Premier League side, owned by the royal family of the emirate. Although the club's ownership is the reason for the partnership - and a complicating factor in the apparent US$15 million surface value of the deal - it does give the club the appearance of a premium brand, given that Etihad's sports sponsorship has, until now, been limited to top class teams and events.

The company has a US$10 million annual partnership with Ferrari, and is believed to spend a further US$4 million per year on its sponsorship of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, added to the Formula One calendar this year. It also has a partnership in place with Chelsea, last season's beaten Champions League finalists.

The Etihad logo will appear on the team's shirts for the first time when City's players take on the Orlando Pirates in Cape Town in the first game of their pre-season tour to South Africa in July. The deal brings to an end the team's partnership with Thomas Cook.

"This new partnership marks the beginning of what we hope will become a strong and lasting relationship between Manchester City and Etihad Airways," said James Hogan, chief executive of Etihad. "Our home-base is Abu Dhabi and therefore we have a strong bond already with the club and its owners and we look forward to building on this in the months and years to come." The airline and club will also work together on several overseas projects including team tours to the UAE and South Africa as well as community-based schemes in the United Arab Emirates and east Manchester. Etihad Airways and Manchester City FC both have a strong sense of community and we will work together on building ties between Abu Dhabi and Manchester especially with youngsters through our highly successful soccer school programmes."

Manchester City executive chairman Garry Cook added: "Manchester City Football Club is delighted to announce this partnership with Etihad Airways and join its stable of associations of the highest calibre, including the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Ferrari Formula 1 team. These are exciting times at Manchester City as we look to build a world-class team and sustainable success on and off the field. This partnership will play an integral role in our strategy."