Fifa World Cup: Wanda and Chinese sponsors don’t respect the rules … but that’s a good thing
Fifa’s ‘challenging’ new Chinese partners are shaking up the sponsorship game, according to commercial chief Philippe Le Floc’h
China’s profile has hit unprecedented levels throughout the World Cup finals in Russia over the last month. And as the tournament edges towards its finale on Sunday, Fifa’s chief commercial officer Philippe Le Floc’h has confessed the involvement of the country’s corporate giants has caused a shake-up within the game’s governing body.
Seven companies – Fifa partner Wanda Group, World Cup sponsors Hisense, Mengniu and Vivo as well as regional backers Diking, Yaeda and Luci – have ensured the tournament has had a Chinese presence that has outstripped even the 2002 event, when the national team secured their only successful qualification.
And their high-profile showing and unique approach to business has forced Fifa to adapt its own practices to accommodate some of the nation’s biggest entities.
“What is interesting with the Chinese companies – because they are new into this world – is they come with new ideas, which is interesting,” Le Floc’h told the South China Morning Post.
“They are fast moving, they are challenging, they don’t take no for an answer. But it’s been a very good exchange.
“Some were a bit late on board but they’ve done an amazing job. So it’s good to have new approaches and a new way of thinking that can transpire into the other conversations that we have.
“They come in and are less respectful of the rules because they’re not used to the rules.
