The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Confederation of African Football (CAF) have announced a new commercial partnership with the Saudi Arabian tourism board, Visit Saudi. This partnership comes as Saudi Arabia confirms its intention to bid for the hosting rights of the men's FIFA World Cup in 2034.
As of October 12, Visit Saudi has become an official global partner of the AFC's national team competitions until December of next year. This partnership will extend to various national team competitions, including:
- The Asian Cup in Qatar, scheduled for January and February next year.
- Various age-group Asian Cups.
- The qualifying tournament run by the AFC for the women's football competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
- Next year's Futsal Asian Cup.
The AFC and Visit Saudi will work together on activations and promotional efforts across these competitions, with activities taking place both at the events and in Saudi Arabia itself.
Visit Saudi and the inaugural African Football League
In addition to the AFC partnership, Visit Saudi has also become the main sponsor of the inaugural African Football League (AFL) clubs competition. The first eight-team AFL will take place between October 20 and November 11.
CAF has expressed that this partnership with Visit Saudi will create "a bridge and a partnership between two worlds that share a profound passion for soccer." The organization is also open to extending the collaboration into future AFL editions.
These partnerships were unveiled shortly after Saudi Arabia confirmed its intention to bid for the hosting rights to the men's FIFA World Cup in 2034. To succeed in this bid, Saudi Arabia will need the support of FIFA's regional confederations, such as CAF. The AFC has already publicly backed the bid.
These partnerships represent a significant step for Saudi Arabia in its efforts to increase its global presence in the world of football. As the country prepares to bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, these collaborations with AFC and CAF will undoubtedly play a crucial role in bolstering its chances.
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