MOSCOW (July 19, 2011)—The Russian Football Union has announced that Pirelli is to be the lead sponsor of the Russian Football Cup.
Bridgestone, which last week said it would be the lead sponsor, has withdrawn from sponsorship. “Our announcement on July 15, 2011, was based on an agreement in good faith between an agent of the RFU and Bridgestone's advertising agency, and also a July 4, 2011 announcement by the RFU that the official name of the tournament would be 'Bridgestone-Cup of Russia on football,' ” Bridgestone said in a statement.
The firm added that it will “continue to explore opportunities in Russia to promote and enhance our brand.”
The Russian Football Union said in a news release that the tournament would be named, the “Pirelli-Russian Football Cup.” Pirelli confirmed the story with its own news release.