Qatar Airways is now the official partner and airline of FIFA as part of a sponsorship package lasting until 2022. The deal struck between the airline and the global football association was announced yesterday and includes the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017, the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the FIFA Club World Cup, the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
As an official partner, Qatar Airways will have extensive marketing and branding rights at the next two FIFA World Cups, with an expected audience reach of more than two billion people per tournament. The airline will also have visibility at competitions such as the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA Futsal World Cup and the FIFA Interactive World Cup, the world’s largest online gaming tournament.
Qatar Airways’ sponsorship strategy involves major sporting clubs and events around the globe, including partnerships with FC Barcelona and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli FC, as well as Formula E races in Paris and New York, and the UCI Road World Championship, most recently held in Doha. The airline also sponsors the Qatar Total and ExxonMobil Tennis Tournaments.
Akbar Al Baker, group CEO, Qatar Airways, says: “Qatar Airways understands the power of sport in bringing people together in the spirit of friendly competition. FIFA, as the governing body of the world’s most popular sporting tournament, the FIFA World Cup, embodies the power of football’s popularity, and as such is a natural partner for Qatar Airways. We look forward to celebrating wins with the fans, being inspired by the artistry of the players, and to the excitement of each match over the next two FIFA competition cycles, until the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will be proudly held in our home country, the State of Qatar.”