Visa plans to partner with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for the 2023 Women's World Cup, continuing to build on the company's support for women's sports.
The 2019 Women's World Cup reached a record 1.12 billion viewers, a release from the company said.
"Women are a force to be reckoned with – on the pitch, as small business owners, and as drivers of a majority of consumer purchases. We know that when we support the success of women in sport, we support the success of women everywhere," Visa Chief Marketing Officer Lynne Biggar said. “Becoming the first FIFA Women’s Football Partner is part of a much larger investment in women’s initiatives to help recognize the limitless potential of women around the world.”
Officials from FIFA were excited about the partnership as well.
“As a long-standing FIFA partner and a proud supporter of women’s football, it was a natural choice for Visa to become the first ever Women’s Football Partner at FIFA,” FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman said. “Visa is well known for supporting athletes and seeing the positive benefits that can come through sport. They are advocates for equality, diversity and inclusion, core values that are shared by FIFA and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, as we grow and celebrate the women’s game.”
Visa's commitment to the tournament in New Zealand and Australia has been extended to 2023. The company intends to promote both women's soccer and gender equality. This is one of a series of investments Visa is making in Europe and internationally to promote women's sports.
In particular, Visa is one of the most prominent women's soccer sponsors. The 2019 Women's World Cup was the largest investment in women's soccer that Visa has yet made. The 2023 Women's World Cup will be at an even larger scale, being played in two countries and featuring 32 national teams for the first time.
For women, there is a strong correlation between participation in sports and business, making Visa's investment in women's sports all the more important and connecting it to Visa's business ventures as well.