FIFA has named its first official partner for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup by extending an agreement with a pre-existing long-term partner.
Electronics firm Hisense has been named as the partner of the organisation. The company has been working with the global football governing body for over seven years, and has a wider presence throughout the sport via various other deals.
Hisense’s sports marketing history saw the company partner with this year’s UEFA Euro 2024, whilst club-level deals have been clinched with the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Hisense Group Chairman, Jia Shaoqian, said: “We are proud to be an official partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which is a competition among the top clubs from all six confederations, representing a dialogue between champions, a collision of first-class excellence.
“This perfectly aligns with Hisense’s pursuit of the champion spirit and our latest corporate goal to build a world-class enterprise and brand.”
The agreement is significant for FIFA ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the first one to feature a new format. The competition has been expanded significantly from eight teams to 32, in a move which has not gone by without controversy.
FIFA wants to expand the Club World Cup to expand its profile and visibility, hoping for the tournament to gain the same power and reach of competitions like the UEFA Champions League.
However, the European Leagues (EL) and FIFPRO Europe have filed a complaint with the European Commission (EC), asserting that the match calendar is already incredibly packed. Similar views have been expressed by some players and player associations.
In another sense, the deal is significant as it shows continued commercial interest in the FIFA tournaments ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will also be held in the US.
Football/soccer is a growing sport in the US but the sports scene is still led by American football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey – FIFA will be reassured that despite this, its long-term commercial partners remain interested.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, said: “We are delighted to welcome Hisense, a global market-leading brand, as an official partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
“Hisense’s commitment to innovation and technology aligns with our vision for this tournament, which will bring together the 32 best teams from around the world for an unforgettable celebration of our game that will revolutionise club football.
“This partnership will offer fans unique ways to engage with the tournament, both on and off the pitch, while laying a technological and innovation-led foundation for the FIFA Club World Cup to flourish.”
