Hero backs India’s U17 World Cup

Indian motorcycle manufacturer Hero MotorCorp has agreed a deal to sponsor this year’s Fifa U17 World Cup national team football tournament, which will be staged in India.

Hero becomes the second Indian company, after financial services firm Bank of Baroda, to sign on as a national supporter of the event. A further four national supporter slots are available.

The tournament will take place from October 6-28 and will mark the first Fifa event to be held in the Indian subcontinent.

Praful Patel, chairman of the local organising committee and president of the All India Football Federation, said: “Hero has been a long-time partner of Indian football and as the company that has helped us the most in developing the game in our country, it was natural that it would be associated with the most important football event that India has ever hosted. Hero’s role as a national supporter of the competition reaffirms the long-term commitment it has for the development of the sport.”