Russian energy giant Gazprom has signed a four-year sponsorship deal with Fifa which will take in the country’s staging of its first World Cup in 2018.
The state-owned company will join FIFA’s commercial portfolio in 2015, with the agreement running through to the 2018 World Cup.
Saturday’s announcement, which was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, gives Gazprom exclusivity in the oil, gas and fuel sectors and makes the company the first Russian sponsor for the four-year period.
Gazprom chief executive Alexey Miller said: “The collaboration with FIFA provides new access for us to the global level of support for football. For Gazprom this is an important step in positioning itself as a global energy company.”
The Fifa deal comes after Gazprom became the sixth and last official partner for the 2012-2015 seasons of the Uefa Champions League and the 2012-14 editions of the Super Cup in July 2012.
The company is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and bankrolls Russian Premier League giant Zenit St. Petersburg, along with enjoying major sponsorship deals with German Bundesliga club Schalke 04 and English Premier League outfit Chelsea.