AFA's Current Initiatives and Strategies

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has firmly established itself as a global leader in football sponsorship, boasting 64 active deals across its portfolio (15 of which were added YoY). This remarkable performance places the AFA at the forefront of football federations, outpacing the Royal Spanish Football Federation (with 45 deals) and the Brazilian Football Confederation (with 40 deals). The AFA's global expansion strategy has further strengthened its position, with sponsorships spanning 21 countries and Argentine brands representing 30% of its portfolio. The remainder, led by US companies, highlights the AFA's appeal in international markets, accounting for 80% of this year's new deals.

AFA's Growing Footprint in Asia

The AFA has set new benchmarks in Asia, securing deals with brands such as OKVIP (Cambodia), Prestige One Developments (UAE), and Xiaomi (China). These agreements make the AFA the most active football federation in Asia, with 30% of its sponsorships originating from the continent—a figure only surpassed by Manchester United at 34%. The AFA's approach in Asia isn't just about numbers, however, it's about building cultural and brand resonance. Partnerships like Xiaomi's special edition Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G and Cotti Coffee's exclusive fan experiences demonstrate a commitment to integrating the brands within local fanbases—a strategy that extends beyond simple logo placements and creates meaningful consumer connections.

Lessons for Rights Holders and Future Vision

The AFA's success offers a playbook for rights holders globally. The federation's focus on product integration (as seen with YiPPee! and Bingo! in India) emphasizes immersive fan experiences, such as ticket giveaways, player meet and greets, and exclusive merchandise. This strategy amplifies both brand and fan loyalty. Additionally, AFA's tailored digital media approach—leveraging market-specific content and social media activations—has set a new standard for audience engagement. In the US, the AFA is capitalizing on Messi's influence and a growing soccer fanbase with initiatives (like high-performance centers) to deepen its impact. With a strategic vision geared towards community engagement and brand growth, the AFA is poised to remain a trailblazer in global football sponsorship.

“Argentina National Team's rich history translated into a huge fan base globally,” Peterson continued, “which was passively ready to interact and receive daily updates on the Argentine football superstars. Our main targets were fans in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East, all of which were areas where AFA identified the strongest fanbase communities. The challenge of continuing at the top of the leadership boards needed to be translated through marketing strategies. AFA identified strategic partners in each location that were capable of understanding the various cultures and challenges in every specific region. After almost eight years of consistent growth, the Argentine Football Association has achieved a global recognition as the world`s leader football federation. Today, with more than 65 international sponsors, Argentina is among the top level of international sports entities globally. With the constant pursuit of overcoming and transforming challenges into successful reality, the AFA is committed to consolidating its global leadership position, offering multiple and diverse marketing activations, profitable commercial partnerships, and constant innovation—not only in the sportive sphere but also in the marketing and commercial aspect of the beautiful game.”