Alipay Secures Eight-Year Commercial Partnership Across UEFA National Team Football

Global digital payment platform Alipay has executed a landmark eight-year partnership agreement with UEFA, becoming the official global payment partner, digital wallet provider, and FinTech partner for UEFA men’s national team football competitions from 2018 through 2026.

The contract, negotiated by UEFA’s exclusive commercial agency CAA Eleven, encompasses major international tournaments including UEFA EURO 2020, UEFA EURO 2024, and the UEFA Nations League Finals.

The multi-year agreement embeds Alipay, operated by Ant Financial Services Group, across an initial four-year operational cycle spanning eight competitions and 420 international matches, reaching an estimated global broadcast audience of 7.4 billion viewers.

Through the partnership, UEFA and Ant Financial will leverage Alipay’s user base of over 900 million global users and 700 million active domestic users in China to drive digital fan engagement and streamline mobile payment infrastructures across European venues.

Highlighting the role of mobile payment innovation in driving global supporter engagement, UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, said: “We are proud to announce this unique and groundbreaking partnership with Ant Financial and Alipay for UEFA’s national team competitions.”

“Alipay is at the forefront of digital payments and in association with its global partners, Alipay has unique connections with over 900 million users.

“We believe the partnership will further innovate the way in which UEFA engages with football fans around the world,” Čeferin said. 

Ant Financial executive chairman and CEO, Eric Jing, emphasised the opportunity to connect international sports properties with digital platforms across Asia.

“We are thrilled to work with UEFA to bridge the world through the common language of football.

“We will empower UEFA to engage with football fans around the world through digital platforms and help UEFA reach and interact with billions of potential audience in Asia.

“By partnering with UEFA, we hope to share the passion and happiness of football with more people across the world and bring them the benefits of digital life,” Jing said. 

Commercial Scope and Digital FinTech Integration

The partnership positions Alipay as UEFA’s third official national team sponsor alongside Volkswagen and Booking.com:

• Global Rights Portfolio: Secures global commercial rights across UEFA EURO 2020 (hosted across 12 host countries), UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany, and the UEFA Nations League Finals through the 2026 commercial cycle.
• FinTech & Mobile Integration: Serves as UEFA’s official global digital wallet provider and official global FinTech partner, delivering seamless mobile payment architectures, digital ticketing integrations, and enhanced fan experiences at stadiums across Europe.
• Asian Market Expansion: Connects UEFA directly with Asian football consumer markets through customized digital content, mobile platform activations, and localized payment ecosystems.

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