FIFA has added online betting firm Betano as a regional sponsor for the Club World Cup, reigniting a previous partnership from the Qatar 2022 World Cup as the governing body ramps up commercial activity around its expanded and controversial club tournament, even after it has already begun.
The agreement will see Betano – owned by Kaizen Gaming – take on Official Partner status for South America, although the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The governing body has marketed the competition as a new pinnacle of club football, though the first matches have laid bare concerns about competitiveness, fan interest, and the logistical complexity of a month-long tournament with limited global pull outside a few elite European and South American teams.
Conmebol sides are currently unbeaten since the tournament kicked off on Saturday, though they are yet to face a real European juggernaut. Fluminense will come up against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, promising a tough fixture for the Brazilian side. River Plate will also play tonight, though are expected to beat Urawa Red Diamonds in Seattle.
The addition of a betting sponsor aligns with FIFA’s ongoing push to commercialise the tournament aggressively – mirroring recent moves such as outsourcing the FIFA+ platform to DAZN and shifting fans in stadiums to mask low attendance figures. It also continues the sport’s wider trend of integrating betting brands into mainstream sponsorship portfolios, even as regulators in some markets begin tightening restrictions.
George Daskalakis, co-founder and CEO of Kaizen Gaming, said: “After being the first sports betting operator to support the FIFA World Cup™ in Qatar in 2022, we are proud that Betano is joining forces with FIFA once again – this time for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
“It is a privilege to work closely with FIFA for a tournament that brings together millions of fans from all around the world as they get to watch the best club teams and players football has to offer. This year’s tournament is particularly special, as it marks a moment in history as the inaugural edition.”
Romy Gai, Chief Business Officer at FIFA said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating once again with Kaizen Gaming and its Betano brand. Our shared ethos of enhancing the fan experience delivered huge successes during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and we are excited to be working with their team to deliver another world-class tournament.”
Insideworldfootball.com
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