FIFA Lands South African Company As World Cup Sponsor

South Africa-based Mobile telecommunications company MTN Group Limited has become the first African company to sign on as a FIFA World Cup Sponsor, receiving global rights to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the ’09 FIFA Confederations Cup. MTN has also acquired mobile content rights for a set of territories mainly in Africa and the Middle East. The deal makes MTN the third company, along with McDonald’s and Anheuser-Busch, to join the planned six-member group of FIFA World Cup Sponsors under the organization’s new commercial hierarchy. South Africa-based First National last week signed on as a National Supporter for the 2010 World Cup, one level below World Cup Sponsor (THE DAILY).