South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has announced a deal with global payment provider Mastercard for the renewal of its sponsorship with the Copa América, alongside a new venture with the Copa Libertadores.

As an official sponsor of the two major footballing events, Mastercard will be the official payment services partner and contactless payment brand for the Copa América 2019 and the Copa Libertadores through to 2022.

Mastercard will facilitate transactions including the purchase of tickets, transportation to the stadium and the purchase of food at venues.

Whilst the deal marks Mastercard’s Copa Libertadores sponsorship debut; the payment provider will continue its strong relationship with the Copa América, sponsoring the tournament for the twelfth consecutive occasion.

Secretary general of CONMEBOL, José Manuel Astigarraga commented: “We are pleased to announce that CONMEBOL Copa América and CONMEBOL Libertadores will have another sponsor of world trajectory, such as Mastercard, who has always believed in football.

“This new agreement allows us to continue advancing in our efforts to turn CONMEBOL tournaments into spectacles world-class players who offer fans the best experience and will also enable them to generate more value and invest in sports development so that South American football reaches its full potential for the future.”

The global payment company have a strong presence in football already, sponsoring Brazil’s national team, the UEFA Champions League and predominant individual South American football figures such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Javier Zanetti.

“As a sponsor of football, the most beloved sport in Latin America, we are pleased to add to the Copa America and CONMEBOL Libertadores for our list of great players,” said Carlo Enrico, President of Mastercard in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This powerful combination of the best football in South America will allow us to provide fans with priceless payment experiences and advance efforts towards a world beyond cash.”

Last year’s Copa Libertadores final drew global attention as it featured Argentina’s two biggest clubs River Plate and Boca Juniors.

Dubbed the ‘Superclasico’, the two-legged final had been seen as one of the biggest moments in the history of football for Argentina as the clubs had never met each other in the final before – despite winning the competition 10 times between them.

However, the perfect scenario was ruined when the coach carrying Boca Juniors’ players and staff was attacked on its way to their away leg at the El Monumental.

The second leg was then moved to the Bernabeu in Madrid, with River Plate winning 5-3 on aggregate after extra time.

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