Emirates remains committed to Asian Football's future
Emirates, the Dubai-based global airline, has announced its
commitment to the future success of Asian football, with a four year,
multi-million dollar extension to its sponsorship of the Asian Football
Confederation (AFC).
Emirates first became an official sponsor and official airline of the
AFC in 2002 and has remained committed to Asia's most prestigious
football events ever since.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief
Executive, Emirates Airline and Group and AFC President, Mohamed bin
Hammam, made the announcement at a press conference held at the
airline's global headquarters in Dubai.
Sheikh Ahmed said, "Asian football continues to make giant strides
forward in terms of quality and reach, and this commitment to success
mirrors the drive and ambitions of Emirates. We have been involved in
Asian football since 1996 when we were the Official Airline of the DFC
Asian Cup and we have all come a long way since then.
"We look forward to supporting all of the AFC events, many of which
will be taking place in the cities that we fly to within our ever
expanding network of over 100 destinations across six continents."
Mohamed bin Hammam, President of the AFC, said, "I would like to
thank Emirates Airline for their loyalty to the sport of football not
only in the region but also around the world. It is through the support
of our partners, such as Emirates, that helps us to continue the growth
and development of Asian football and we are extremely grateful to
them."
Seamus O'Brien, Chairman, World Sport Group, said: "Emirates Airline
has been a partner of the Asian Football Confederation since 2002, today
however, marks a new chapter in Emirates Airline's involvement in Asian
football. In less than a decade, Emirates Airline has become a key
supporter of Asian football and this renewal is in itself a powerful
testament to the growing stature and strength of the sport in the
region."
As an Official Partner of the AFC, Emirates has rights to all AFC
tournaments including the AFC Champions League, AFC Cup, AFC Challenge
Cup, and a number of Clubs, Women's and Youth team events. Through this
partnership Emirates will gain considerable media exposure with over 120
games each year being televised on a live or delayed basis around the
world.
In addition to its support of Asian Football Confederation, Emirates
is an Official Partner of the FIFA World Cup with close links to FIFA
and all its projects in the 2007-2014 period. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Emirates became the first airline to be an Official Partner of the
world's premier football tournament.
Emirates also sponsors Arsenal football club and has the naming
rights of their new home, the Emirates Stadium, in addition to
partnerships with Hamburg SV, Paris Saint Germain Football Club, AC
Milan and Olympiacos FC. Emirates is also involved in a wide range of
sports including sailing, golf, horse racing, tennis, cricket and rugby.
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