Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid have named Cisco as their official technology partner in a multi-year deal.

The agreement will see the San Jose-based technology conglomerate overhaul the technical capabilities of the LaLiga club’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium, which is in the process of a multimillion dollar refurbishment. Construction is expected to be fully completed at the end of 2022.

Financial terms or the partnership were not disclosed.

Cisco will equip the venue with the full range of its technology products, including connectivity and security solutions, a data centre and digital signage. The whole system is designed on a single, smart and converged Cisco network.

The Bernabéu will also be fitted with Wi-Fi 6 technology and have more than 1,200 access points throughout the stadium to ensure faster and more reliable bandwidth.

Real added that the introduction of Cisco’s network will enable the club to offer fans, both in the Bernabéu and around the world, innovative experiences, while also optimising various operational processes within the stadium, including communications and security.

Furthermore, over 1,000 screens featuring Cisco’s Internet Protocol television (IPTV) solution, which combines high definition (HD) video distribution with digital signage, will be used inside the Bernabéu, which Real say will enable the club to enhance fan participation and generate new entertainment options.

Report: Legends projecting ‘€400m’ per year revenue from Real Madrid commercial deal

“Thanks to this collaboration agreement with Cisco, a leader in connectivity and content management, the Santiago Bernabéu will be able to share data, voices and videos to anywhere in the world and this will guarantee the widest range of services and an unrivalled spectacle within the world of football,” said Emilio Butragueño, Real Madrid’s director of institutional relations.

Wendy Mars, president of Cisco EMEAR, added: “Real Madrid is one of the jewels in the crown in the world of sport. We’re delighted to add a club with such a rich history to the global portfolio of sporting institutions that Cisco works with.

“We hope to bring the potential of our two global brands together to promote a more connected and inclusive future for the game.”

As well as Real, Cisco has partnerships with the National Football League (NFL) and the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Staying with Real, the club’s Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior has teamed up with metaverse platform Overeality to launch an exclusive non-fungible token (NFT) collection. The 21-year-old joins fellow LaLiga star João Félix, as well as Columbian midfielder James Rodríguez and AS Roma manager José Mourinho, on the Overeality platform.