(VIDEO) Emirates Unveils 2.4-Meter Arsenal Crest Sculpture Built From Recycled A380 And Boeing 777 Jet Parts

LONDON — Emirates and Arsenal unveiled a striking new sculpture at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, transforming decommissioned parts from the airline's Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft into a 2.4-meter-high replica of the club's famous crest, marking two decades of partnership between the airline and the Premier League club.

Dubbed "The Aircrafted Arsenal Crest," the illuminated installation was unveiled ahead of Arsenal's Emirates Cup match against Borussia Dortmund, timed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Emirates-Arsenal partnership and its extension through 2033. The unveiling also came shortly after Arsenal's Premier League title win last season, adding further significance to the occasion.

The sculpture was designed and built entirely in-house by Emirates Engineering's Aircraft Material Upcycling team, based in Dubai. A team of 15 specialists, including engineers, designers, mechanics, technicians and painters, completed the project in 34 days, combining techniques from aviation manufacturing with the visual identity of one of English football's most recognizable emblems.

At the heart of the sculpture sits Arsenal's iconic cannon, reconstructed using components salvaged from an Emirates Airbus A380. A main landing gear wheel hub forms the center of the cannon's wheel, while a section of titanium bleed air duct was cut and reshaped to form the barrel. Lightweight composite floor panels were layered and built up to give the cannon its three-dimensional form.

The shield behind the cannon was built from sheets of Boeing 777 aluminum fuselage skin, with aircraft cargo tracks adapted to form its outer edge and internal structure. Additional cargo floor panels and roller components salvaged from retired aircraft were repurposed throughout the piece. The lettering spelling out "Arsenal" was individually shaped from aircraft window frames and fitted with warm white lighting, while further lighting beneath the sculpture's base illuminates both the piece and its custom-built black tile plinth.

Before assembly, the aircraft components were selected specifically for their strength, shape and potential to be reworked, then cleaned, cut, curved, machined, riveted and assembled by Emirates Engineering specialists in Dubai. Once complete, the sculpture was painted to match Arsenal's official club colors, fitted with its lighting system, and flown from Dubai to London aboard an Emirates SkyCargo freighter ahead of its installation at Emirates Stadium.

The cannon motif at the center of the sculpture has featured in every version of Arsenal's emblem since 1905 and is the origin of the club's nickname, "The Gunners." By rebuilding the cannon's wheel around an Airbus A380 landing gear hub, Emirates said the project was intended to fuse the airline's aviation heritage directly into one of the symbols most closely associated with the club's identity.

The crest was formally unveiled by Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, and Richard Garlick, chief executive of Arsenal, in a ceremony held ahead of Sunday's match. Clark described the milestone as a reflection of a long-standing relationship between the two organizations, saying, "Emirates and Arsenal have shared an extraordinary journey over the past 20 years." He added that the sculpture was designed to mark the anniversary with something permanent and unique to the partnership, noting that the craftsmanship behind the piece reflects the precision and ambition that define both aviation and elite sport.

Garlick, in turn, thanked Emirates for the gesture, saying, "We're hugely grateful to Emirates for creating this special tribute to our club." He described the sculpture as a reflection of the relationship between the two organizations and said the club was entering the next phase of the partnership with confidence and shared ambition.

The Emirates-Arsenal partnership ranks among the longest-running and most recognizable sponsorship relationships in world football. Under the extended agreement running through 2033, Emirates will continue as Arsenal's front-of-shirt sponsor, training kit partner and stadium naming rights holder, extending what is already the Premier League's longest-running front-of-shirt sponsorship arrangement. The airline's name has been attached to Arsenal's home ground since the stadium's opening in 2006, and the partnership has become one of the most visible commercial relationships in English football over the past two decades.

Emirates has previously used decommissioned aircraft components for other high-profile creative projects as part of its broader sustainability and brand messaging efforts, framing the practice as a way of giving retired aircraft materials a second life while highlighting the airline's engineering capabilities. The Arsenal crest sculpture represents one of the most elaborate applications of that approach to date, combining the airline's aviation upcycling program with one of its most prominent sports sponsorships.

Following Sunday's unveiling, "The Aircrafted Arsenal Crest" will be permanently displayed within Emirates' hospitality space at Emirates Stadium, where it is expected to serve as a fixture for supporters and visitors attending matches and stadium events going forward.

Sunday's ceremony took place alongside Arsenal's Emirates Cup fixture against Borussia Dortmund, part of the club's pre-season schedule, with the unveiling positioned as a symbolic start to the next chapter of the Emirates-Arsenal partnership following the club's Premier League title triumph.