By Duncan Mackay
June 11 – Hyundai have announced a major partnership with the Chinese Football Association (CFA) becoming the sport’s biggest sponsor in the country.
The South Korean car manufacturer signed a four-year contract with Chinese national team, providing at least 200 million yuan (£20.3 million/$31.5 million/€25.2 millon) in sponsorship if they are successful.
The deal is the biggest signed in the country’s football history and demonstrates that, despite its lack of success on the international stage, big companies are attracted to the vast potential that China offers.
The Chinese Soccer League is becoming an increasingly major player on the world stage having signed Nicolas Anelka from Chelsea and also currently being involved in negotiations to sign his former teammate Didier Drogba.
China has only ever qualified for the World Cup once before, in 2002, when it was held in Japan and South Korea.
But it has its eyes set on making an impact at Russia in 2018, having already been knocked out of Brazil 2014.
The national team is now managed by José Antonio Camacho, the former Spanish and Real Madrid coach.
“We will begin a new era with such a big sponsorship,” said Wei Di, the general secretary of the CFA.
“We will work together to improve thegame and our national team’s performances.”
Hyundai will invest at least 40 million yuan (£4.2 million/$6.5 million/€5.2 million) every year and will provide an extra 40 million yuan if China makes it to the last round of 2018 World Cup qualifying.
The sponsorship announcement coincided with the CFA revealing that seven stadiums will be used to stage its matches over the next four years.
The venues are Beijing Workers’ Stadium, Shanghai Hongkou Stadium, Tianjin Olympic Sports Centre, Wuhan Sports Centre, Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Centre, Changsha Helong Stadium and Shaanxi Sports Centre.
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