Korean tire manufacturer Hankook will be an official sponsor of the UEFA Europa League for the period '12-15, and the '13, '14 and '15 UEFA Futsal Cup finals. With Western Union confirmed as the presenting partner and adidas as the official supplier partner, Hankook Tires is the latest company to partner with the UEFA Europa League for the '12-15 period (UEFA).
BUNDESLIGA: The KURIER reported that the German Bundesliga, which is the highest attended football league in the world, is en route to set new attendance records. Eight of the 18 teams have already sold their entire allocation of season tickets for the upcoming '12-13 season. Last season an average of 45,166 fans attended the 306 games (KURIER, 7/16).
THE REDS: Indonesian airline, Garuda will be the official airline of EPL club Liverpool FC as part of a three-year deal. The club hopes to tour Indonesia during next year's preseason (Liverpool FC).
CHINESE CUP: Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd., official premium partner of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, will host the first "Yingli Cup" in Bejing. The match between Bayern Munich and Chinese side Beijing Guoan will be held on July 24 at Workers Stadium in Bejing at 7:30pm CST (Yingli Green Energy).
SUSPENSION: THE NATIONAL reported that Asian Football Confederation Chief Mohamed bin Hammam has been "provisionally suspended from all football activity for 30 days" following a forensic audit of the governing body's accounts. The former AFC president has already been banned for life by FIFA after being found guilty of "paying cash gifts totaling close to $1M to Caribbean football officials" (THE NATIONAL, 7/17).