Wanda's signage has been highly visible at all 12 World Cup stadiums in Russia.GETTY IMAGES
Wanda Group has been among the "highest-profile backers" of the World Cup, its name "clearly visible on the digital perimeter signage wrapping its way around the pitch at each of the 12 stadiums," according to Michael Church of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. While "there have been plenty of non-Chinese questioning what it is the company does," there can be "no doubting Wanda’s presence." For Wanda Sports CEO Yang Hengming, "there can also be no questioning of the company’s motives." While some might see Wanda’s backing of FIFA as a "ploy" to seek political favor at home or an "attempt to play a role in influencing a future decision over World Cup hosting rights," he claimed that the reality is "very different." Yang: "At Wanda we did the partnership purely for our own business concerns and considerations. Sports is our business and it was a natural business decision. Wanda has a deep heritage in football. There’s a passion and the DNA within us to grow the sport and help China and that’s what we did and that’s what we have been doing and we continue to do that." Wanda’s relationship with Chinese football "is unparalleled," largely due to the support of Owner Wang Jianlin. Wang backed the Dalian Wanda club that dominated the domestic league in the mid-'90s, before withdrawing its support "in protest at a series of match-fixing scandals." Wanda "eventually returned as a sponsor" of the Chinese FA. Since expanding its involvement in football to sign up as a partner of FIFA, the company launched the China Cup competition last year, which has leading int'l sides "face off against the national side in an attempt to boost the status" of Chinese coach Marcello Lippi’s team (SCMP, 7/9).
