FIFA signed its first major new sponsor on Wednesday "after a gap of more than two scandal-filled years," according to Jim Armstrong of the AP. FIFA announced an eight-year partnership deal with Alibaba E-Auto for the Club World Cup, starting this week. Alibaba E-Auto is the car manufacturing brand of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group, the world's largest online and mobile commerce company. It is the first new sponsor contracted by FIFA since Sept. 13, when Russian state-controlled gas company Gazprom signed up only for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. FIFA Marketing Dir Thierry Weil said, "It is not easy to sell. You can imagine in the given period and given circumstance with what's going on at FIFA" (AP, 12/9). XINHUA reported Alibaba became the "first Chinese company" to have a presenting partnership with the FIFA tournament and both sides "vowed to promote the world's most prestigious club football competition to a global audience through the exclusive rights associated with their cooperation." Alibaba E-Auto will present the MVP award at each match during the tournament, including the final match on Dec. 20. Alibaba Sport CEO Zhang Dazhong said, "Partnering with a major sporting event with a global audience such as FIFA Club World Cup is also an important part of Alibaba Group's globalization strategy for connecting China to the world" (XINHUA, 12/9).
