By Rohith Nair
(Reuters) – Chinese electronics manufacturer Hisense has signed on as the first official partner for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup, global soccer’s governing body said on Wednesday.
Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed but Hisense will receive Video Assistant Referee (VAR) branding during the expanded 32-team competition set to take place in the United States from June 15-July 13.
The multinational company, with its headquarters in Shandong, first became a FIFA sponsor in 2017.
“We are delighted to welcome Hisense, a global market-leading brand, as an official partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the partnership launch in Shanghai.
FIFA also expects to announce more sponsorship deals in the coming weeks.
FIFA’s new Club World Cup, which will be played every four years, was first announced in December but it immediately drew the ire of European leagues.
The tournament has been criticised for adding more matches to an already congested calendar, taking a heavy physical and mental toll on players.
Ballon d’Or winner Rodri had warned of a player strike last month over the packed schedule, as a report published by players’ union FIFPRO said some players get as little as 12% of the year to rest.
FIFA announced the launch of a task force on player welfare this week after FIFPRO, Spain’s LaLiga and the European Leagues’ group filed a joint complaint to European Union antitrust regulators, accusing the global body of “calendar abuse”.
European Leagues is an association that includes 35 members such as the Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A and France’s Ligue 1.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru)
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