Manchester United have had another disappointing season, having been eliminated at the first hurdle in both domestic cup competitions.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was disappointed after his team was eliminated from the FA Cup (Image: 2025 All Stars)
Manchester United’s troubled season has spilled from the pitch to the boardroom, with the club embarrassed after a high-profile sponsorship deal backfired.
The Red Devils entered the 2024/25 season boasting a huge £180m shirt deal with US tech giant Snapdragon. But while the Qualcomm subsidiary’s logo is still front and center, a secondary “level-up” deal has left both companies red-faced.
To introduce Microsoft’s new Copilot+PC range, United Airlines has agreed to display the brand’s logo on the back of the men’s first team’s shirts at all domestic cup matches. The deal was aimed at providing worldwide visibility across the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
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Qualcomm was excited about the deal at the time, with executive vice president and chief marketing officer Don McGuire explaining in July: “What better way to celebrate with Manchester United once again? And of course, this time we’ve elevated it. Copilot+ The PC logo will be featured prominently on the back of the men’s kit for the Snapdragon Cup at Old Trafford on August 9th and for the 2025/26 domestic cup matches, as well as all women’s and academy team matches during the season…
Unfortunately for the men’s first team, these additional cup matches amounted to only two matches. The Red Devils suffered a humiliating defeat to Grimsby in the Carabao Cup in August and were eliminated in the first round.
Coach Ruben Amorim’s side fought to a 2-2 draw but lost 12-11 in a nail-biting penalty shootout. They were then eliminated in the first round of the FA Cup third round by Brighton & Hove Albion.
Interim head coach Darren Fletcher saw his team lose 2-1 at home to the Seagulls, with former Red Devils player Danny Welbeck scoring the decisive goal.
Danny Welbeck targets Brighton’s goal as Man United are eliminated from the FA Cup (Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
It is the first time since the 1981-82 season that United have been defeated in the opening round of both domestic cup competitions.
As a result, the Copilot+PC logo could appear 13 times, of which it only appeared 2 times. However, the women’s and academy teams will use it throughout the season.
Snapdragon’s sponsorship does not apply to the training kit, which currently has no sponsor, meaning United will lose out on millions of pounds.
However, they are reportedly interested in securing naming rights for the stadium, which could result in the Theater of Dreams being officially called Old Trafford@Snapdragon.
At an event in London early last year, United unveiled scale models and images of what their new stadium, expected to cost £2bn, will look like. However, several issues have occurred during the development stage, causing delays.
Manchester United have been contacted for comment.
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