Last Liverpool Home Carlsberg Jersey - World Expo Shanghai 2010

Liverpool will wear Carlsberg on their shirts for the final time at Anfield today - but it'll be with a difference.

The Danish brewer's name has adorned the red shirt at every home game over the last eighteen years - but as Carlsberg prepare to sign off as the club's shirt sponsors at the end of the season their name will be displayed in Chinese language for the clash with Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

With Liverpool the only UK city exhibiting at World Expo in Shanghai - its twin city - later this year, Carlsberg officials came up with the novel idea of interacting with the club's massive fan base in that part of the world.

Carlsberg Group Sponsorship Director Keld Strudahl said, "We're delighted to have been able to bring about this momentous occasion. We believe it's a nice little gesture to our friends and fans of Liverpool FC in China, where we know the Club devoted huge support in working things out and we also worked hard with all parties to mark this special occasion for the World Expo."

In addition to the change on the front of the players' shirts, Chinese messages will be displayed during the match on the perimeter advertising boardings and in the Carlsberg Lounge at Anfield a Chinese competition winner will present a trophy to the "Man of the Match" after the final whistle.

The Chinese Carlsberg logo will be only the fifth logo ever printed on a Liverpool FC shirt. Liverpool FC's first sponsor was Hitachi, followed by Crown Paints, Candy and then Carlsberg in 1992.

World Expo Shanghai: a good investment for Liverpool

IT may seem hard to understand what all the fuss is about – with the event, itself, seeming so remote – but the World Expo Shanghai could be of major and lasting significance to Liverpool.

Today, we are able to give readers a sneak preview of the spectacular 3D footage which will greet visitors to our city’s exhibition stand.

It has cost a total of £1.1m to design, build and equip the state-of-the-art Liverpool pavilion, but it has the potential to pay for itself many times over.

Those fortunate enough to have visited Shanghai will know that when that city does something it does it on a hugely impressive scale, which is why Liverpool couldn’t afford to present anything which might be viewed as second-rate.

Most of us, of course, won’t be present at the prestigious exhibition – but the crucial point is that Liverpool is the only UK city being represented.

Around 80m people are expected to visit the Expo in the six months it runs – and, as far as this country is concerned, that’s an impressive captive audience which only Liverpool will be able to reach.

This is a great opportunity to tell the world about Liverpool, in the hope that it will make people want to invest, live and work here.

China’s economy is still growing at a dramatic rate – while so many others are struggling to come out of recession – so this is a good time to forge new relationships with our hosts.

Liverpool has a lot to offer and is right to take its place on the global business stage. Other countries, meanwhile, have much to gain from joining forces with our vibrant city.

Sometimes you have to push the boat out in order to receive maximum returns – and this, we believe, is one of those occasions.