May 12 – FIFA has landed Unilever personal care brands as Official Sponsors of the Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 in a deal that will run through to the 2027 Women’s World Cup and include the men’s World Cup in 2026.
The partnership will also cover the FIFAe Finals. The Unilever brands covered in the agreement include Rexona, Dove, Lifebuoy and Lux.
The new Unilever deal is a big win for FIFA who have struggled to attract the world’s biggest advertisers to its competitions since the scandals of 2015 that saw more than 40 FIFA officials indicted by the US Department of Justice.
The hook for Unilever to take the plunge with FIFA has been the huge growth of the women’s game worldwide. As part of the agreement, FIFA and Unilever will collaborate with FIFA’s Women’s Development Programme which looks to provide opportunities for women and girls and supports the continued growth of women’s football.
“Unilever will provide funding, human resources, and support for tailored development programmes to tap into the upsurge in interest surrounding the women’s game,” said Unilever.
Unilever said the sponsorship builds on existing projects including Rexona’s Breaking Limits programme which provides funding for community sports, and the Dove Self-Esteem Project that enourages body confidence in young women and since launch in 2004 has reached more than 94 million young people.
On the ground Unilever will have the right to supply a total of 80,000 gift packs containing personal care products direct to fans at various FIFA events.
Fabian Garcia, Personal Care President at Unilever, said: “Working with the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, our brands will connect with an enormous and highly engaged audience. This is a significant opportunity for them to engage a growing audience of women’s football fans, demonstrate relevance, and build brand power, while promoting gender equality in sports and supporting future generations of female athletes.”
No value was given for the sponsorship.
The 64-match 2023 Women’s World Cup kicks off July 20 with the final being played on August 20.
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