The signing of a new commercial rights agreement between the Asian Football Confederation and sports marketing agency DDMC Fortis has been described as the ‘most significant day in the history of the AFC’.
Under the eight-year deal, DDMC Fortis will have exclusive rights to market all AFC sponsorship and media assets from 2021 until 2028, beginning in the final qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup.
The value of the deal was disclosed, but a report from Inside Football World puts it at $3.4bn, a huge boost for the rapidly growing football scene in Asia.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “This is a most significant day in the history of the AFC.
“With the signing of this contract, the AFC can guarantee its member associations that the game in Asia has tremendously solid financial foundations from which to build.”
DDMC Fortis is a joint venture between Swiss group Fortis Sports and China’s DDMC Sports International.
The new deal follows a long-standing commercial partnership between the AFC and Lagardère Sports and Entertainment.