By Paul Nicholson
August 20 – With just two weeks to go before the start of the Central American Cup 2014, telecoms group Tigo have stepped up as title sponsors for the championship which is being played in the US for the first time.
TIGO, part of Millicom International Cellular, is a Latin American mobile phone brand, though it does operate in the US via distributors. Tigo joins Avianca, Forward, and Curacao as official sponsors of the tournament, with more expected to be announced in the coming days. No figure has been announced for the sponsorship.
The seven-team Central American Cup Tigo 2014 USA kicks off September 3 in Washington, DC, before moving on to Dallas and Houston. The final, as well as third- and fifth place matches, will be played on Saturday, September 13 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Teams are divided into two groups with each city each hosting a ‘triple-header’ of matches. The championship will winner will qualify for the Copa America Centenario which will see six CONCACAF teams join the 10 Conmebol nations in the US in 2016.
The US is becoming a second home for Latin American footballing nations who are attracted by large expatriate populations, and the commercial and facilities infrastructure of the US sports market.
Mexico have for some time toured major cities in the US every year, tapping into the large American-Mexican population, while the US is the home of CONCACAF’s premier Gold Cup competition.
Tigo’s sponsorship is a good fit in that it is a telecoms brand that connects people. “Tigo is a brand that gives you reasons to smile, which is why we’re very proud to be part of this event – coming to the United States for the first time – supporting sport and bringing families closer together through passion for football,” said Estuardo Figueroa, Millicom International Markets Manager.
UNCAF (Unión Centroamericana de Fútbol) has played its championship every two years since 1991. Costa Rica, who broke on to the world stage with their performances at the World Cup this summer in Brazil, have hoted seven times. They are also the competitions most successful team, having won seven times and are current defending champion.
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