Fifa secures Visa extension

Financial services company Visa has extended its top-tier partnership with Fifa, world football’s governing body, until 2022.

As a top-level Fifa Partner, the deal grants the electronic payments company global marketing rights and product category exclusivity for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and more than 40 Fifa events scheduled throughout the time period, including the Women’s World Cup and the U-20 World Cup.

Visa initially signed up as a Fifa partner in 2007 and activated its first global sponsorship rights at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“With football’s unique power to inspire people everywhere, Visa couldn’t be more excited to extend its relationship with Fifa,” Ricardo Fort, senior vice-president of global sponsorship marketing at Visa, said. “Our association with the Fifa World Cup and the entire portfolio of Fifa events differentiates our brand and allows us to offer unique opportunities to our clients around the world.”

Visa is the fifth of Fifa’s commercial affiliates to have committed to both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, following Adidas, Coca-Cola, Hyundai-Kia and Anheuser-Busch. The announcement today (Tuesday) also marks Fifa’s second major commercial deal in a matter of months. In November, sportswear company Adidas extended its long-term partnership until 2030.