FRANKFURT: UEFA has announced that Volkswagen has signed an agreement to become a partner with European football’s governing body for all UEFA national team football competitions running from 2018 until 2022, including UEFA Euro 2020.
This engagement in the world’s most popular sport will mainly serve as a communication platform for the market launch of the I. D., which will be the face of Volkswagen’s new e-mobility family from 2020 onward.
To mark its 60th anniversary, UEFA Euro 2020 will take place across 13 European countries, allowing more fans than ever to experience top quality national team football across the continent.
"We are proud to have such a great European brand with such a genuine passion for football at our side," said Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director of UEFA Events SA.
"That holds especially true given the tasks that lie ahead of us: UEFA Euro 2020 will place the most rigorous demands on mobility. There is a grand idea and an innovative concept behind this tournament and we are very happy to have the support of Volkswagen on this exciting journey."
Volkswagen are also delighted to be entering into an agreement with UEFA, with the CEO of the Volkswagen brand, Dr Herbert Diess, saying that one of the German carmaker’s aims is to help football fans as much as possible.
"No other sport is as powerful as football or unites so many people. Furthermore, UEFA Euro 2020, which is being played across the entire continent, is a fantastic project. Our wish is to contribute towards building bridges between all countries and for football fans with our mobility and creativity."
Volkswagen will also sponsor other UEFA national team football competitions from 2018 until 2022. This will include the newly created UEFA Nations League Finals in 2019 and 2021; the European Qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup; the 2019 and 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championships; UEFA Women’s Euro 2021; and UEFA Futsal Euro 2018 and 2022.
As UEFA’s “Official Mobility Partner of UEFA National Team Football” Volkswagen will enjoy an extensive package of rights, including advertising and promotional rights, digital rights, tickets, and hospitality options. In total, some 500 matches will be played during the term of the contract.
Volkswagen has deep roots in European football in particular. Starting in 2019, the German football association (DFB) will be joining the existing partnerships with the national football associations in France (FFF) and Switzerland (ASF/SFV) to drive the Volkswagen brand.
Expanding the commitment to football is designed to support the company’s strategy for the future. “Football and Volkswagen are the ideal match. Football is played in almost every country and is inclusive – just like our cars. So the sport offers us the perfect opportunity to present our new orientation. In footballing terms, Volkswagen will be playing an attacking game over the coming years. After all, we are rolling out the biggest offensive in the history of our company in terms of models as well as e-mobility”, said Dr Diess.
Jürgen Stackmann, Volkswagen Brand board member for Sales, commented: “We are striking out in a new direction with the sponsorship of UEFA national team football, which fits in well with the start of I. D. sales: to mark the launch of our new generation of highly-innovative electric vehicles, the Volkswagen brand is for the first time building on an international communication platform in football that will generate positive interest not only throughout Europe, but also further afield. We are hugely excited!”
UEFA Euro 2020 in particular brings great opportunities for Volkswagen. As Stackmann explained: “We will of course be involving all European markets as well as our approx. 3,000 dealers across the European continent. The spotlight, though, is firmly fixed on football fans and thus on our customers. We want to present attractive mobility solutions to them.”
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