Visa has announced it has become the Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The payment giant has extended its partnership with the international governing body of football until 2027, building on its longstanding relationship which has seen the payment company at more than 40 FIFA events since 2007.
Frank Cooper, Chief Marketing Officer at Visa, stated: “One of Visa’s primary goals in partnering with FIFA is to enrich the experience of both fans and athletes. The FIFA World Cup 26 presents a unique opportunity for Visa to achieve that goal.”
FIFA has said that it plans to leverage insights from the payment company’s white paper titled ‘Digital Fans: How Connected Experiences Can Power the Future of Fandom’. The paper highlighted how it can engage fans, promote growth and encourage commerce.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, said: “FIFA is thrilled to partner with Visa and to focus our strong partnership on what will be a very bright future.
“Visa’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the fan experience, coupled with their innovative approach to payment technology, aligns with FIFA’s vision to make football truly global and accessible to all. We look forward to delivering exceptional moments for fans across the globe.”
However, the long standing relationship has not only benefited FIFA, as Oliver Jenkyn, Visa’s Group President of Global Markets at Visa, said that its alliance with FIFA has yielded ‘immense benefits’ for its brand, clients and cardholders in the past.
The focal point of this deal is the World Cup in 2026, and through the partnership the company’s cardholders will receive exclusive and behind the scenes access throughout FIFA tournaments as well as Visa-cardholder pre-sale events, and other innovative promotions.
This year, Visa showed its dedication to supporting the world of sports announcing it will be sponsoring the Formula One team AlphaTauri. The deal led to a complete rebrand for the racing team and will now be called Visa Cash App RB.
Cooper added: “Although competitive sports is considered entertainment, it is also a thriving business. This allows Visa to operate at the intersection of culture and commerce, fulfilling the high expectations of our cardholders on match day, whether they are watching the excitement unfold in their living rooms or sitting at the heart of the action at midfield.”
