IMG appointed to seek main sponsor for Home Nations FAs

The IMG agency has been jointly appointed by the Football Associations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to find a headline partner for the three national governing bodies.

The four-and-a-half-year deal covers the countries’ men’s, women’s, U21 and youth national teams.

The partnership opportunity begins with the 2018 Uefa Nations League and also covers the qualifiers and finals of Uefa Euro 2020 and the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.

Brand assets include player and national team manager appearances; perimeter advertising at home games; training grounds and media events; experiential activation; hospitality and tickets; training and leisurewear branding; website and database exposure; and access to the associations’ social media channels.

Michael Mellor, senior vice-president of football for IMG Media, said: “This is an attractive package and represents a unique opportunity for a partner to contribute to a positive national spirit in each of the three countries, while also generating value through the unified brand image for the fans, media partners and associations. It’s a real opportunity for a brand to embed itself in football culture and develop a lasting relationship within each community.”

British automotive manufacturer Vauxhall is the current headline sponsor of the three bodies, as well as the English Football Association. In March, the company said it would end its backing of the associations following next year’s World Cup in Russia.