Fury of big money sponsors
FIFA’s biggest sponsor, Visa, has threatened to sever ties with football’s governing body over the scandal – saying it may ‘reassess’ their relationship. Here we list the major sponsors, how much they pay, and what they said yesterday.
VISA
– contracted to pay Fifa £30million a year until 2022. Spent almost £1.5million last year on advertising during the World Cup.
‘Our disappointment and concern with FIFA in light of developments is profound. As a sponsor, we expect Fifa to take swift and immediate steps to address these issues within its organisation ... Should FIFA fail to do so, we have informed them we will reassess our sponsorship.’
Adidas –
German sportswear company is Fifa’s oldest sponsor. Its current deal is reported to be worth £95million over the next four years. Last year it spent £ .8million on advertising during the World Cup. ‘The adidas Group is fully committed to creating a culture that promotes the highest standards of ethics and compliance... Following today’s news, we can therefore only encourage FIFA to continue to establish and follow transparent compliance standards.’
Coca-Cola
- also has a deal running until the 2022 World Cup. Reportedly worth about £20million a year. Spent £1.25million on advertising during the last tournament.
‘This lengthy controversy has tarnished the mission and ideals of the Fifa World Cup and we have repeatedly expressed our concerns. We expect Fifa to continue to address these issues thoroughly.’
Hyundai
– The South Korean car maker’s deal runs until 2022 and is said to be worth around £11million a year. Last year, it spent £1.35million on advertising during the tournament. ‘As a company that places the highest priority on ethical standards and transparency, Hyundai Motors is extremely concerned about legal proceedings being taken against certain Fifa executives.’
Budweiser
– a sponsor since the 198 World Cup in Mexico and will still be sponsoring the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Reported to pay £28million to support the World Cup itself.
‘We expect all of our partners to maintain strong ethical standards and to operate with transparency.’