The English Football Association (FA) has moved to step up hygiene measures at Wembley Stadium ahead of the return of fans by agreeing a partnership with cleaning products manufacturer Dettol.
The deal announced today (Wednesday) names Dettol as the official hygiene partner of Wembley, the England men’s and women’s teams, St. George’s Park training complex in Burton upon Trent and the wider grassroots game.
Dettol will work closely with the Wembley Stadium team to explore new cleaning protocols using their products to support the return of fans to fixtures at the London stadium, with Monday’s announcement from the government bringing this ambition ever closer.
The leading disinfection brand in the UK will introduce similar practices to the home of England’s national teams at St. George’s Park, to support hygiene measures for the nation’s male and female elite footballers.
The FA said that in a recent survey, over 90% of English grassroots football clubs identified cleaning and disinfection as a priority. Dettol will work with the FA to provide expert hygiene guidance that can be easily implemented across every level of the game.
Over 17,000 grassroots clubs – and the 1.4 million players who participate in affiliated football – will also be given access to educational materials and to a wide range of Dettol’s hygiene products.
Kathryn Swarbrick, the FA’s commercial and marketing director, said: “It’s more important than ever before to ensure that football has all the necessary measures in place to help protect all participants and supporters. This new partnership will give us added reassurance as we look ahead to the complete return of our much-loved sport.
“As a not-for-profit organisation, we are indebted to our commercial partners for allowing us to continue to invest into the game, particularly during this challenging period.”
The FA deal comes after Dettol in December agreed a two-year contract to become the official hygiene partner of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The deal was signed as the stadium prepared to host the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India.
Susan Egstrand, regional general manager for northern Europe, the UK & Ireland at Dettol’s parent company, Reckitt Benckiser, said: “Whether it’s fans eagerly anticipating a return to watching England play live at Wembley or players at all levels, our goal is to provide the football community with simple and effective hygiene routines when they enjoy the game they love.”
Dettol’s football campaign will kick-off ahead of England’s men’s team’s first international fixture of 2021 against San Marino on March 25 at Wembley. The grassroots campaign will start when clubs in England return to playing matches.
