Ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Portugal national team has added Chinese automotive brand Changan as its latest sponsor.
As an official global partner of the Portuguese men's side, Changan will support the team through the World Cup, gaining prominent branding presence across the Portuguese Football Federation’s digital and social media channels.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
This will include Changan-owned brands Avatr, Deepal, and Nevo.
A Deepal S05 PHEV electric vehicle will be provided to the Portuguese Football Federation for the body’s ‘exclusive use’.
Speaking on the deal, FPF Commercial commented: "This partnership with Changan Automobile reflects the growing international relevance of Portuguese football and the values that define our Federation: ambition, innovation, resilience, and excellence. We are proud to join forces with a global brand that shares our long-term vision and commitment to continuous development, both on and off the pitch.”
Boasting soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese national team is one of the most prominent that will be competing at this summer's World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup will take place between June 11 and July 19, hosted jointly by Mexico, the US, and Canada, and will be the first to feature 48 sides.
Changan’s financial results for the first quarter of the 2026 calendar year saw the company generate CNY 250.5 million ($51.5 million) across the period.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has also found a new commercial partner in the form of blockchain fintech provider Chiliz, which will see the creation of a new fan token based on the ‘Bafana Bafana’ men’s national team.
Leveraged via Chiliz’ Socios Brand, the $SAFA fan token will be launched on the platform alongside a number of other competing national teams, including Portugal and holders Argentina.
On the agreement, SAFA chief executive Lydia Monyepao said: “This partnership represents a new chapter in SAFA’s journey into Web3, Blockchains and Fan Tokens, to reward exclusive experiences to our passionate fans not only across South Africa but also as we grow our fan base globally that are already using NFTs.
“Bafana Bafana has always been the people’s team in the African continent, and through this collaboration, we are exploring innovative ways for fans to be part of the team’s global journey, starting with the opening match in Mexico City.
“Socios is a global player whose experience working with top football clubs and national teams to unlock unique assets for loyal and digitally engaged fans will surely benefit our brand’s growth within this demographic.”
South Africa is returning to the FIFA World Cup stage for the first time since the 2010 edition (which the country hosted), but in the interim, the team has had a number of moderately successful outings at the continental AFCON competition, including a third-place finish in 2023.
