Qtel was yesterday named as sponsor for the next AFC Asian Cup tournament, to be held in Qatar in 2011, and the Asian Champions League for 2009-2012.
Qtel’s sponsorship of both competitions is one of the most far-reaching and significant in the company’s long history of supporting sporting events.
Qtel chairman HE Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud al-Thani, said: “Qtel is a major supporter of sport in Qatar and regionally, and we are proud to be associated with opportunities like this that help demonstrate Qatar’s sporting prowess on a global stage.”
“With football growing in popularity and capturing the imagination of the whole community, the Cup and the Champions League will bring together the diverse nations of Asia and the Middle East to witness an exciting series of tournament matches,” he added.
The sponsorship agreement will increase Qtel’s visibility across all the countries engaged in the AFC Asian Cup and the Asian Champions League.
The prestigious Asian Cup, which is organized by the Asian Football Confederation, will host some of the strongest teams from the world’s most populous region in Qatar, in addition to welcoming many football fans and international media.
As host nation, Qatar will have a high-profile opportunity to demonstrate its credentials as an emerging football power. With the winning team becoming champion of Asia and automatically qualifying for the FIFA Confederations Cup, intense competition and global interest is expected.
The 2009 Asian Champions League is set to showcase some of the most exciting matches to date, with Japan, South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Thailand, Vietnam and India already named as eligible to enter clubs.
“We are delighted to welcome Qtel as a sponsor for both the Asian Cup 2011 and the Asian Champions League.
With their growing prominence within the region and their long-track record as a supporter and promoter of sport and sporting competition, Qtel is an ideal partner for us to work with,” said Mohamed bin Hammam, President of the Asian Football Confederation.
The sponsor agreement was finalized today between Qtel, the Asian Football Confederation, Qatar Football Association, and World Sport Group, which is responsible for the commercial rights for the events.
As part of its support for the AFC Asian Cup, Qtel will deploy one of the most advanced communication infrastructures available to any sporting event in the world, building on its experience in supporting the Doha Asian Games in 2006.
Qtel has set itself the target of becoming one of the world’s top 20 telecommunications companies by 2020, and continues to see significant growth in both the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions.
Given the strong synergy between the nations participating in the Asian Cup 2011 and Asian Champions League, and the countries benefiting from Qtel’s ongoing international expansion, Qtel sees strong opportunities for regional brand-building and community development through this sponsorship deal. |
