Chinese company Hisense becomes official FIFA World Cup sponsor

Hisense  CEO Liu Hongxin and FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura attend a press conference on April 6, 2017, announcing that the Chinese electronics giant becomes an official sponsor of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. [Photo: 163.com]

Chinese electronics giant Hisense has announced its status as an official sponsor of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first-ever Chinese consumer electronics brand to sponsor the tournament.

It's the 2018 World Cup's second Chinese sponsor, after the Wanda Group signed a four-tournament deal in March last year.

The FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, said the deal will bring China and FIFA closer together.

"It gives the possibility for the Chinese who would like to see a carrier in football having first hand information on how FIFA is growing the game worldwide."

In January, the FIFA Council decided to expand the World cup to 48 teams.

At the unveiling, Samoura also took the chance to comment on the expansion. She said "48 teams is less than 25 percent of the 211 members of association. So if you want my personal opinion, 48 is still not enough, we need more. And it also giving all confederation the possibility to be part of a longer football festival and a possibility for fast growing nations in terms of football like China to one day host the World Cup but also lift this beautiful trophy."