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Soccer’s global governing body Fifa has confirmed Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) as the second sponsor of next year’s inaugural edition of the expanded Club World Cup.
The agreement sees AB InBev and Fifa expand their long-running relationship, which has seen the beer brewer serve as an official sponsor of the World Cup since 1986. The company is a prolific sponsor of major sports events and this year marked its debut as a top-tier partner of the Olympic Games.
AB InBev joins Hisense as the second sponsor of the 2025 Club World Cup, which is due to take place across 11 US cities in June and July next year. Fifa confirmed the Chinese consumer electronics brand as the first sponsor of the competition in October but has generally struggled to attract commercial interest in the revamped 32-team tournament, which the governing body has reportedly told stakeholders will generate billions of dollars in revenue.
The Athletic previously reported that Fifa was targeting up to ten sponsors for the competition, each of which would pay more than US$100 million each. The governing body reportedly remains locked in a dispute with existing partners Adidas and Coca-Cola about whether their existing deals should also cover the new tournament.
“AB InBev has been an iconic sponsor of our events for almost 40 years, and today we are excited to see them come on board as a partner of the new Fifa Club World Cup,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
“We are embarking on a journey that will redefine club football and create a new global tournament. With AB InBev’s brands, we are creating unforgettable moments for football fans around the world.”
Michel Doukeris, AB InBev chief executive, added: “This partnership with the Fifa Club World Cup continues our legacy of bringing beer and sports together for fans around the world, creating more moments of celebration and cheers. We look forward to activating this first-of-its-kind tournament next summer in partnership with Fifa.”
While Fifa has started to secure sponsors for the Club World Cup, it is yet to secure any broadcast deals for the competition. The governing body is facing a race against time, with the draw for the tournament set to take place in Miami on 5th December.
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