FootballCo vs UEFA

Footballco launches Kia’s ‘First Touch’ documentary celebrating the stories of Official Match Ball Carriers as part of Kia’s FIFA World Cup 26™ Campaign

Footballco announced a new documentary titled 'First Touch' in partnership with Kia, highlighting the stories of Official Match Ball Carriers for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

World Cup Marketing Suffers from Sameness

Stefano D’Anna argues that the widespread use of pink football boots at the World Cup illustrates a broader problem of homogeneity in tournament marketing. Published on The Drum, the opinion piece warns that brands and agencies too often default to pre-planned campaigns that aim to impress industry peers rather than create day‑to‑day, fan‑focused content that earns cultural relevance. D’Anna contends that content — earned in real time through editorial judgment, creators and speed — outperforms static campaign films, and that uniqueness, not uniformity, will determine which brands are remembered after the tournament. He also notes FIFA’s scale comparison and points ahead to the next Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

• Stefano D’Anna authored an opinion piece linking pink football boots to marketing homogeneity at the World Cup.
• The article was published on The Drum with an explicit publication date of 2026-07-09.
• The Drum hosted a World Cup event in November with brands and agencies to discuss clichés and sameness (as described in the article).

Hisense Extends UEFA Partnership as Official EURO 2028 Partner

Hisense announced at IFA 2026 that it will continue as Official Partner of UEFA EURO 2028, marking its fourth consecutive UEFA European Championship sponsorship. The company has been involved in football since UEFA EURO 2016 and also sponsored FIFA World Cups in 2018, 2022, and 2026. Catherine Fang, Vice President of Hisense Group, highlighted the evolution from brand sponsorship to technology partner for UEFA screens. UEFA Marketing Director Guy-Laurent Epstein expressed enthusiasm for the continued collaboration. At IFA 2026, Hisense will feature a UEFA EURO 2028 activation zone with interactive football challenges.

• Hisense announced at IFA 2026 that it will continue as Official Partner of UEFA EURO 2028.
• This is Hisense's fourth consecutive UEFA European Championship sponsorship.
• Hisense has sponsored UEFA EURO since 2016 and FIFA World Cups 2018, 2022, and 2026.

Hisense Extends UEFA Partnership as Official Partner of EURO 2028

Hisense, a global consumer electronics and home appliance brand, announced at IFA 2026 that it will continue its partnership with UEFA as an official partner of UEFA EURO 2028, marking its fourth consecutive UEFA European Championship. The collaboration, which began with UEFA EURO 2016, makes Hisense the first Chinese sponsor of the tournament, and also includes sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup 2026. At IFA, Hisense will feature a UEFA EURO 2028 activation zone with football challenges and auto-generated photos, offering immersive fan experiences. Hisense Vice President Catherine Fang and UEFA Marketing Director Guy-Laurent Epstein expressed enthusiasm, highlighting the partnership's growth beyond branding into display technology and immersive fan experiences. Additionally, Hisense is ranked first globally in TVs 100 inches and above, according to Omdia, underscoring its leadership in premium display technology.

• Hisense extended its partnership with UEFA as official partner of UEFA EURO 2028.
• This is Hisense's fourth consecutive UEFA European Championship sponsorship.
• Hisense is the first Chinese sponsor of UEFA EURO.

FIFA’s World Cup Reputation Damaged Sponsors' Trust

An opinion piece in The Drum argues FIFA — positioned as a B2B brand that sells trust to sponsors — damaged that trust during the recent World Cup. The article cites multiple incidents: Gianni Infantino’s informal presentation style, FIFA’s reversal of a referee’s automatic suspension for USA striker Folarin Balogun following a phone call from Donald Trump, FIFA creating and awarding a newly invented 'Peace Prize' to Trump, dynamic/surge ticket pricing, and a short-lived plan to sell a 20% stake in FIFA’s commercial arm to private investors (reported buyers included the Kushners). The stake announcement triggered revolts from confederations, public criticism from UEFA, the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro, and the later sacking of COO Kevin Lamour. The author frames these events as eroding the core commercial asset FIFA offers sponsors: trust.

• FIFA reported a record $12bn in World Cup revenue before announcing a plan to sell a 20% stake in its commercial arm valued at $20bn.
• FIFA announced the planned sale to private investors (the article says the Kushners were among the buyers); the plan lasted three days amid confederation revolt and criticism from UEFA.
• Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser, resigned in protest after the stake announcement; FIFA later sacked its chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour.