Qatar 2022: FIFA signs first sponsorship deal since 2018

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Bengaluru, September 21: Football's global governing body -- FIFA -- announced its first new World Cup sponsor since the 2018 edition with the Doha-based Gulf Warehousing Company (GWC), who specialise in transport and logistics for industry sectors including oil and gas, sports events and fine art, being named as the official logistics provider for the 2022 edition to be held in Qatar.

The GWC becomes FIFA's 10th sponsor of the Qatar 2022 World Cup and first in the third-tier category.

"Logistics are critical to an event as large and complex as the FIFA World Cup, so having GWC on board as a Regional Supporter and the Official Logistics Provider for the tournament will provide FIFA and its Commercial Affiliates with crucial support and expertise in logistics and supply chain management, which will ensure a smooth and efficient delivery of the competition," said FIFA's Chief Commercial Officer Simon Thomas.

In the previous four-year commercial cycle, tied to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, FIFA banked more than $150 million in total from third-tier sponsors.

GWC has a logistical infrastructure covering more than three million square metres, including the largest privately owned logistics hub in the region, along with a team of dedicated and innovative specialists and state-of-the-art IT systems.

"We enter this agreement with confidence that we'll showcase the world-class sporting and logistics infrastructure that Qatar has developed over the years, while embodying the values of sportsmanship and encouraging active engagement of football enthusiasts and wider audiences," said GWC Chairman Sheikh Abdulla bin Fahad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani.

In a break from tradition, the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is 28-day affair, will be held during the winter window. The tournament will start on November 21 with the final on December 18, which is Qatar's National Day.

Qatar is building eight stadiums for the quadrennial extravagnza, which is being held in Middle East and the Arab world for the first time.

The Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers have promised to deliver the completed venues two years before the kick off. Three stadiums are functional already while two more are expected to be ready by the end of the year.

The schedule for the tournament has a slice of history with four matches a day going to be held for the first time in World Cup history.