Dalian Wanda sponsorship deal with Fifa brings prospect of Chinese World Cup closer
Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda’s deal with Fifa to sponsor the next four World Cups could lead to a World Cup in the world’s most populous nation.
The deal will advance China’s ambitions to host the event in coming decades. The Chinese government has already stated its goal to host the World Cup. Now the deal between its richest man and the organization that organizes and awards World Cup to candidate nations moves the dream a step closer.
Wang Jianlin, the Wanda chairman, announced the Fifa deal ahead of a major interview with the upcoming Q3 edition of the Dialogue journal, out in early summer. In the interview, Wang will reveal that, although Wanda already holds a 20% share in Atletico Madrid, it is keen to forge strategic partnerships with organizations that hold the IP and media rights to football, rather more football clubs.
The Fifa news comes after the English-language release of Wang’s book The Wanda Way, which launched at the British Museum last month.
The Wanda Way is published by LID Publishing, which also publishes Dialogue. You can see photographs from the launch here