AIPS ASIA News

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Qatar Airways Group have signed a global partnership set to transform the fan experience at Asian football competitions in the coming years.

The partnership will run from 2023 to 2029 in time for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, which kicks off on 12 January, 2024. The package of rights also includes other key competitions such as the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™, AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™, AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Qatar 2024, AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ 2024, 2026 and 2028, as well as all AFC youth national team competitions during the period.

Qatar Airways’ sponsorship also includes all matches of the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 Knockout Stage and three eagerly-anticipated new AFC flagship club competitions which will take place from the 2024/25 season onwards: the AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Women’s Champions League and the AFC Champions League 2.

As part of the collaboration, Qatar Airways will work with the AFC to introduce exciting travel packages to global football fans. This will start with packages for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, bringing passionate fans closer than ever to the action and transforming the way that fans across the continent experience Asian football.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said: “It is with great enthusiasm we welcome Qatar Airways on board as the AFC’s newest partner. This collaboration again underlines the ever-growing appeal of the AFC’s world-class competitions and embodies the AFC and Qatar Airways’ shared commitment to excellence and elevating the sports experience for fans worldwide.

“With Qatar Airways, we look forward to expanding our global footprint. This partnership not only connects fans across borders but also enhances the accessibility of our sports events on a truly international scale with seamless and convenient travel experiences.”

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “Qatar Airways is excited to welcome the AFC to our robust sports sponsorship portfolio. This is a monumental occasion which marks our shared commitment to connecting people across borders and promoting competitive sportsmanship.”

“As the Best Airline in the Middle East, we look forward to welcoming fans from the region on our expansive network to experience Qatar’s unique sports offerings. We will work together with the AFC to help create thrilling moments of football excellence in the upcoming years, kicking off with the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ which is due to be held next month in state-of-the-art venues across the country,” he continued.

The partnership with the AFC highlights Qatar Airways Group’s commitment to its vision of connecting the world, as it continues to bring people together through the power of sports as evidenced through its existing partnerships with many esteemed football and sports entities worldwide.

This partnership deal will be managed by Asia Football Group (AFG), the AFC’s commercial agency for 2023-2028.

About the AFC
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up FIFA. Established in 1954, the AFC is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and comprises 47 Member Associations.

The AFC organises the AFC Asian Cup™, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ and the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ which are the flagship Continental national team football and futsal competitions, while the AFC Champions League™ is the premier competition for Asian clubs, drawing millions of fans to the beautiful game across the length and breadth of the Continent and beyond.

About Qatar Airways
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways won the ‘World’s Best Business Class’ for the tenth time at the 2023 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. The airline continues to be synonymous with excellence, also taking home, Best Airline in the Middle East, World’s Best Business Class Lounge, and World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining at the prestigious awards held during the 2023 Paris Air Show. Qatar Airways is an unprecedented seven-time winner of the “World’s Best Airline” voted by Skytrax (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022).

Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 170 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, voted by Skytrax as the ‘World’s Best Airport’ in 2021 and 2022 consecutively. This year, Hamad International Airport has been ranked by Skytrax as the second-best airport in the world and received the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ accolade for the ninth time in a row, as well as ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’.

About Asia Football Group
Asia Football Group (AFG) is the exclusive commercial agency for the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) competitions from 2023-2028. AFG’s partnership with the AFC covers the commercial rights for all major AFC National Team and Club competitions, including the AFC Asian Cup™, AFC Asian Qualifiers™, AFC Women’s Asian Cup™, AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers, AFC Champions League™, AFC Cup™ as well as AFC youth and futsal competitions.