SCOTLAND’S national stadium will be renamed as part of a multi-million-pound sponsorship deal with Barclays, it has been announced.
Hampden Park, in Glasgow, was renamed to the Barclays Hampden on Monday as the bank has become the headline sponsor of the venue.
Barclays will also sponsor both the men's and women's Scottish Cup, and serve as the official naming rights partner of the Barclays Next Gen Girl’s Performance Programme.
However, the move has been branded “shameful” by pro-Palestinian groups due to Barclays’ ties with the Israeli government.
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Barclays has been targeted by pro-Palestine campaigners several times in the last two years, with protesters smashing windows and chucking paint over dozens of the bank’s branches across the UK.
Announcing the name change Ian Maxwell, chief executive of the SFA said: “We’re excited to have Barclays on board as Naming Partner of Barclays Hampden. Their desire to support Scottish football – across the levels – has been clear.
“The impact of their investment will be felt within the walls of Barclays Hampden and far beyond – not least helping fuel the kind of programmes we run that harness the power of football and make an everyday impact in Scottish society.”
Tom Corbett, managing director of Sponsorship and Client Experience at Barclays, added: “We are thrilled to be ending the year with the addition of the Scottish home of football to our partnership portfolio.
“Hampden is a fantastic venue in a fantastic city, and this new partnership will enable us to further support the next generation of football fans and players.”
Meanwhile, the Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee released a statement condemning the name change, stating a large portion of the Scottish public will be "appalled by this disgraceful collusion with Barclays".
It read: "This is a truly shocking and shameful decision. At a time of horror genocide and suffering in Gaza, the SFA have given this branding of our national stadium to the very company that’s financing the weaponry and managing the Israeli government bonds being used to conduct that mass slaughter and destruction.
"So many of those weapons have killed and maimed Palestinian footballers and other sportspeople.
"Much of the Scottish public will be appalled by this disgraceful collusion with Barclays, this makes them complicit in the genocide.
"We will oppose this vigorously. Shame on the SFA."
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