Wanda Signs Up As Fifa Partner

The Wanda Group has become a new FIFA partner, the first new partnership under new president Gianni Infantino, and is the first Chinese company in the top tier of sponsors for world football’s governing body.

The 14-year-deal, covers all FIFA competitions up to and including the 2030 FIFA World Cup. FIFA partners are entitled to promote their association through branding and promotional activities in all territories around the world.

Wanda, which joins adidas, Coca-Cola, Gazprom, Hyundai and Visa among FIFA’s leading sponsors, will also support grassroots development of football in China and Asia.

Gianni Infantino said: “We are pleased to welcome the Wanda Group to FIFA. A company that has a long affiliation with football, has been an active supporter of the game for many years and shares our enthusiasm to develop and strengthen football.”

“As FIFA president, I am committed to providing stronger support for football development to our member associations, and I believe that the relationship with Wanda will support us to continue the on-going development and growth of the game in China and all over the world.”

Wang Jianlin, the owner and chairman of the Wanda Group, added: “We are highly motivated to promote football across the country and to inspire a new generation of youngsters. The Chinese Government is committed to this development and as a company we strongly support these efforts.

“In order to professionally grow the existing grassroots movement into a sustainable and well managed sport, we are delighted to tap into the vast experience of the most competent advisor – FIFA. We believe in football as one of the most attractive sports globally and have the highest trust in FIFA and its newly established organisational structure under the lead of president Gianni Infantino.”

Infront and the WTC were merged to form Wanda Sports in November.

FIFA also confirmed a $122m loss for 2015 last week, its first financial shortfall since 2002. A decline in sponsorship revenues, with a number of partners choosing not to renew long-term partnerships, was one reason for the poor performance, along with one-off costs such as that of staging extraordinary sessions and $61.5m in legal costs in a year of corruption scandals.