GENEVA (AP) — FIFA finally announced a first sponsor for its revamped Club World Cup on Wednesday in a deal that will brand video review checks at the tournament in the United States next year. Chinese consumer electronics firm Hisense will have “branding appearing in the video operation room and on pitchside screens,” FIFA said in a statement , when match officials study key incidents in the 32-team tournament being played in 11 American cities from June 15 to July 13. Though no previous FIFA tournament has had a sponsor for video reviews since the technology was approved before the men’s 2018 World Cup in Russia, Hisense was the official "VAR Screen Provider” for this year's European Championship organized by UEFA in Germany.
Less than eight months before the Club World Cup opens — with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami hosting the first game of a tournament that sees Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich play their first competitive games in the U.S. — it now has one sponsor but still lacks any broadcast deals.
FIFA's talks for a global streaming deal with Apple+ stalled several months ago and U.S. sponsors have been more focused on deals for the men's 2026 World Cup that will be co-hosted with Canada and Mexico.
Saudi Arabian sponsors are expected to sign soon and help FIFA President Gianni Infantino fulfil promises to clubs that the tournament's total prize money will run to hundreds of millions of dollars every four years. FIFA is set to confirm Saudi .