Beijing, Nov 8 (EFE).- China reinforces its influence in the international football arena with the incorporation of one of its large television companies and thus becomes the first official sponsor of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States. United starting June 15 of next year.
In an effort to consolidate its brand in the global market, the multinational Hisense will be present in the VAR system, expanding its relationship with FIFA in a tournament that is already facing criticism, among other issues, for the saturation of matches and its impact on players.
FIFA announced the agreement last week in the eastern megalopolis of Shanghai, with the president of the football body, Gianni Infantino, and Jia Shaoqian, president of Hisense, who highlighted the role of technology in the modernization of football.
Infantino expressed his satisfaction with the sponsorship, highlighting this company’s commitment to innovation, which he said aligns with FIFA’s vision.
Jia, for his part, noted that the tournament “brings together the best clubs from six confederations,” reflecting his company’s champion spirit.
However, the event faces obstacles: FIFPRO, LaLiga and the Association of European Leagues have expressed their concerns, filing complaints about “calendar abuse”.
Manchester City’s Spaniard and recent Ballon d’Or winner, Rodrigo Hernández ‘Rodri’, warned about a possible strike due to the impact of the saturation of matches and, shortly after, suffered a serious injury with a torn cruciate ligament, which intensified the debate.
The bet on North America
FIFA’s new sponsor in this Club World Cup supports its expansion in the United States through sports sponsorship agreements, with this tournament being a key pillar in its strategy for the region.
The company has also expanded its offering with white goods, such as refrigerators and washing machines, consolidating its presence in the North American market.
Catherine Fang, president of Hisense International, stressed that events such as the Club World Cup are essential to position them as a “leader in technology and quality”; in North America.
The impact of this Chinese firm’s strategy in the North American market, driven largely by its sponsorship agreements in key sporting events, could be reflected in its financial results for the semester ended June 30.
The company recorded an increase in its semi-annual revenue, reaching almost 49,000 million yuan (6,829 million dollars, 6,357 million euros), compared to nearly 43,000 million yuan (5,993 million dollars, 5,579 million euros) of the same period of the previous year.
This growth is accompanied by an improvement in its net profits, which rose to 2,015 million yuan (281 million dollars, 261 million euros), underscoring the effectiveness of its focus on strategic alliances to consolidate itself in the region.
China continues its expansion in the world of sports
China has shown growing interest in international sports sponsorship, with various football events on its radar.
There are more Chinese companies using sports as a marketing platform; Companies such as the smartphone brand Vivo and the automotive company BYD have also opted for European football, showing that sport is a strategic field for Chinese brands in their global expansion.
In particular, the interest in the Argentine Lionel Messi has been evident. His participation in the Club World Cup with Inter Miami, which will host and play the opening match of the tournament, could increase the global audience and the impact of the Chinese brand, which has already taken advantage of the Rosario’s media impact during his stay in the French PSG, Hisense partner.
Argentina, with the figure of Messi, is one of the most popular teams in the Asian giant, and brands such as Yili and Mengniu have opted for the sponsorship of the albiceleste team and its captain, respectively.
Messi’s success in China, where he has millions of followers on platforms such as Weibo and Douyin, demonstrates the value of associating with the Argentine icon, despite what happened at the beginning of the year, when he sparked a controversy for not participating in a match of the Inter Miami in Hong Kong.
(c) EFE Agency
