Continental will continue to activate its exclusive global marketing rights in the product categories tyres and run-flat systems for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup, both of which will be held in South Africa.
In addition, Continental has an option to extend the contract until the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
“After our very positive experience with the 2006 event, this high-level sponsorship of the most-watched international sporting event will enable us to continue to use football to reinforce the position of our premium tyre brand Continental as the top product in markets around the globe,” said Dr Alan Hippe, member of the Executive Board of Continental. “Football and the tyre business go together perfectly, as technique, precision, passion and teamwork play an essential role in both fields.”
FIFA’s commercial hierarchy comprises six FIFA partners, six to eight FIFA World Cup sponsors and six national supporters. The six members of the FIFA partners category are adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates Airline, Hyundai, Sony and Visa. Only three slots are left as FIFA World Cup sponsors alongside Anheuser-Busch, Continental, McDonalds, MTN and Satyam.
FNB and Telkom have claimed two of the six national supporter slots and negotiations are currently underway to confirm the remaining four.
The sixth FIFA World Cup sponsor slot is due to be announced soon, FIFA said.
