MotoGP™ Extends Partnership With Sky In Italy

Dorna Sports is pleased to confirm a four-year contract that will see the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship and the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship remain with Sky in Italy. The agreement runs from 2022 to 2025, extending a longstanding partnership between the broadcaster and the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championships.

Sky will continue to show every session of the MotoGP™, Moto2™, Moto3™ and MotoE™ classes live, with fans able to watch via satellite, fibre, on digital terrestrial and streaming via NOW. 

Six Grands Prix will also have each race shown live and free-to-air on TV8 as part of this new agreement, with the rest also shown free-to-air on same day delay.  

A dedicated team will be on site at every Grand Prix, providing tailor-made and extensive coverage including comprehensive pre- and post-race shows from the Sky team of expert pundits, presenters and commentators – bringing fans to the heart of the action. Sky Sport MotoGP, the dedicated 24/7 MotoGP™ channel, will maintain its presence as a point of reference in motorsport broadcasting, providing top quality coverage and insights from the paddock.  

All WorldSBK Rounds will be shown live, including each race for the World Superbike, World Supersport and World Supersport 300 categories.  

Coverage will also continue on digital platforms, with skysport.it to continue providing a wide range of videos, images, news, interviews, columns and more. News will also be reported in real time on Sky Sport 24, on the Sky Sport App and via official social media channels.  

The FIM CEV Repsol and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup will also remain with Sky, joining MotoGP™, WorldSBK, Formula 1 and more at the home of motorsport in Italy. 

Marzio Perrelli, Sky Executive Vice President: “This agreement confirms our commitment to motorcycling, which for years has been one of the pillars of Sky’s great sports offer. We are proud to be the reference point for all two-wheel fans. Sky will deliver the storytelling of these four more seasons with great passion and its usual editorial quality, in addition to a viewing experience enhanced by new technological investments. Our channel dedicated to motorcycling goes far beyond the storytelling of the single races and will once again be the reference point for those who want to keep up to date and live this passion to the full.”

Manel Arroyo, Chief Commercial Officer, Dorna Sports: “We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Sky in Italy. A country with so much passion for our sport deserves the best possible coverage and Sky always deliver state-of-the-art broadcasting, with fantastic on-site programming from their dedicated team. This new agreement will see us reach the milestone of 12 seasons of collaboration and we very much look forward to these next four years together, providing our fans in Italy with the best motorcycle racing show possible – as well as reaching new audiences and growing our viewership through diversifying digital platforms and new ways for fans to watch and connect to MotoGP and Sky.”

BLAST Premier Expands Reach Into Israel With Gaming Channel Broadcast Deal

BLAST Premier has agreed a media rights deal with Gaming Channel, Israel’s first ever linear 24/7 esports and gaming channel. 

As part of the deal, Gaming Channel will own exclusive rights to broadcast BLAST Premier within Israel in Hebrew until the end of the 2021 season. The deal will cover BLAST Premier’s four remaining events of the year: Fall Groups (September 16-26), Showdown (October 12-17), Final (November 24-28) and World Final (December 14-19).

The Gaming Channel, owned by the Charlton Group, was launched back in July this year, bringing the first ever dedicated esports and gaming linear TV channel to Israel. The channel broadcasts a variety of content including live esports events, leading YouTube talent from the region, among other gaming and entertainment-themed content. 

Alexander Lewin, VP for at BLAST, said: “We are delighted to be able to give BLAST Premier fans from Israel the opportunity to watch their favourite Counter-Strike teams and players in a localised Hebrew broadcast, and very pleased to add Israel to our global media rights footprint. The Gaming Channel and its experienced team are the perfect partner for our move into the Israeli market, and we look forward to a successful collaboration.”

Yoav Sochen, General Manager for Gaming Channel, said: “I am very excited to partner up with BLAST Premier. Connecting both professional players and esports enthusiasts to the Gaming Channel through top tier international leagues, operated and offered on live broadcast in Hebrew for the first time. I look forward to seeing what this partnership can do for the Israeli scene.”

The deal takes BLAST’s portfolio of media rights to over 40 linear and online partners internationally, meaning BLAST Premier is now available globally in 18 different languages and in over 150 TV territories.

BLAST Premier is a worldwide Counter-Strike tournament series that unites all major events, offers opportunities to all regions across the globe and crowns the world champions of CS:GO. Up to 32 teams will take part in the seven BLAST Premier events over the course of 2021 with a combined prize pool of $2,475,000 on the line. BLAST will be making its long-awaited return to arena events with fans later this year at Copenhagen’s iconic Royal Arena for the Fall Final. 

Fnatic And Crypto.com Enter Historic Partnership

London-based global esports performance brand Fnatic has today revealed Crypto.com, the fastest-growing crypto platform with more than 10 million users worldwide, as its inaugural Global Cryptocurrency Partner. The multi-year deal is worth more than $15M.

The partnership is Crypto.com’s first-ever in esports and adds to the company’s rapidly expanding portfolio of partners, which includes leading sports brands such as UFC, Formula 1®, Lega Serie A, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1, the Montreal Canadiens and Paris Saint-Germain. The historic deal will enable Crypto.com to seamlessly engage with Fnatic’s truly global and digitally-native audience.

The multi-faceted partnership will see Crypto.com’s logo featured on the collarbone of Fnatic team jerseys. Fnatic will also offer fans numerous rewards and money-can’t-buy experiences – including with existing Crypto.com partners – for Crypto.com users purchasing Fnatic goods. The partners will also launch new digital products, such as exclusive Fnatic NFTs in the near future.

Crypto.com will work with Fnatic on a variety of activations with Fnatic’s esports teams, players and creators including collaborative storytelling with existing Crypto.com partners, engaging gaming content, branded in-game experiences and physical events. To help its fans further understand cryptocurrency and future-proof their decisions, Fnatic will also offer financial literacy and crypto education opportunities for those that are new to cryptocurrencies and NFTs.

Fnatic CEO, Sam Mathews, said: “This partnership sees global leaders in esports and cryptocurrency join forces for a ground-breaking, long-term partnership. Fnatic boasts one of the most connected, involved and supportive fan bases in the world and this landmark deal with Crypto.com allows us to further cater to their everyday needs. As cryptocurrency becomes a mainstream payment method, there’s never been a better time to help our fans make smarter, healthier and future-proof cryptocurrency decisions.

Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder and CEO of Crypto.com, said: “We’re really excited to launch a fully integrated partnership with Fnatic, which marks a milestone for our industry. With more than 200 championships, their team has excelled in-game and out, and rightfully established itself as the leading team in esports.”

As well as having 10 million customers worldwide, Crypto.com also boasts the world’s most popular crypto card, which is available in more than 30 countries around the world. It is also a top ten finance app on both the App Store and Google Play. Earlier this year, Crypto.com also announced its ambition to become carbon negative within 18 months, offering the industry a path and a model for ‘clean crypto’.

Spring Media Merges With Future Sports Agency And Obtains External Capital

Spring Media joins forces with Future Sports Agency and receives funding from Swedish private equity company Helix Kapital in a move to accelerate the scale up of its operation to become the market leading sports agency in the Nordics.

Spring Media works within sports rights management, TV production and digital OTT channels covering live sporting events. Partners and rights include the Swedish Damallsvenskan women’s league and the Olympic rights for Central Asia, media houses such as Bonnier and Schibsted, as well as international clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea.

– We are thrilled to be consolidating with Future Sports Agency and Helix Kapital to take the next step on our journey of expansion. Future Sports Agency complements our know-how with expertise from the buyers’ side of the sports media market, and simultaneously the investment from Helix Kapital enables us to accelerate the growth of the Group with additional company acquisitions in Sweden and abroad, says Tobias Osmund, CEO at Spring Media.

Spring Media co-founders Hans Svelander, José Moreno and Torsten Billing – all with a past at IEC in Sports and Lagardère – will remain in their current roles at Spring Media.

– The merger is a natural extension of the current Spring Media group, and together we will become even stronger. We have a unique position in the market and are able to offer any solution a federation, league or club may need to strengthen its media product – be it through advisory and strategy, rights sales, production services, streaming solutions or sponsorship packaging. All to help rights owners and partners navigate the rapidly changing sports media landscape, says Hans Svelander, co-founder of Spring Media.

Future Sports Agency was co-founded by Manfred Aronsson and Jacob Leander-Olsson. The duo accounts for a joint 30-year TV market experience, where Manfred Aronsson as the former CEO of Kanal 5, MTG and C More has sat on the buyers’ seat of many rights Spring Media represents today. Future Sports Agency currently represents the rights of Swedish HockeyAllsvenskan and Stockholm Open.

– We have followed Spring Media for several years from afar and are truly impressed by the work the team has accomplished. We bring with us valuable insight from the TV- and streaming ends, as well as ideas and customers from Future Sports to jointly create a modern, data-driven sports agency that will become market leader in the Nordics, says Manfred Aronsson, CEO at Future Sports Agency.

Tobias Osmund remains CEO of the company, Manfred Aronsson becomes Chairman of the Board, and Jacob Leander-Olsson assumes the role of Head of Business Development.

Pulseroll Partners With Sale Sharks

Pulseroll partners with Sale Sharks as the Gallagher Premiership Rugby team’s Official Muscle Recovery Supplier.

Manchester based Pulseroll will be supporting their local rugby club this season, as Sale Sharks look to improve on their excellent campaign last year where they reached the Premiership Rugby semi-finals. Pulseroll will work with the Sharks medical team and players, including British and Irish Lion, Tom Curry, who started all three Tests in South Africa this summer, as well as five players from the South African squad for the series. 

The physical demands involved in rugby make full body preparation and recovery vital for maximum performance, and Pulseroll’s products are scientifically proven to help increase range of motion by up to 14% and relieve muscular pain by increasing blood flow to the muscles by 22%.

Pulseroll Founder, Paul McCabe, said:

“As a proud Manchester company, we are thrilled to be working with Sale Sharks. The club is based a short distance from our office and is leading the way for rugby in the north of the country. Incredible work is being done at the club to make Sale one of the dominant forces in European rugby, and we will work closely with the medical staff to help keep the squad in the best possible condition.

“The physicality of rugby make our vibrating massage products the ideal recovery aid to relieve muscle soreness across the whole body. With the demands being put on players to perform each week, recovery is a vital part of an athlete’s daily routine and we look forward to working with the team throughout the season.”

Sale Sharks Head of Sports Science, Rick Swaby, said: 

“Our players put 100 per cent into every single training session and every single match and they need to be able to perform at the highest level day in day out.

“The demands on their bodies are huge and so recovery is a massive part of our work. Pulseroll are at the forefront of recovery technology so we’re really excited to welcome them to Sharks and we look forward to seeing the impact of their products during the season.”

Pulseroll was founded by Paul McCabe in 2016, when he launched the UK’s first vibrating foam roller. Today the company offers seven vibrating massage devices which include two

sizes of massage gun, two foam rollers and two different shaped massage balls.

All products are developed with built-in quiet noise technology and the intensity of the foam rollers and vibrating massage balls is managed through a remote control allowing for a much smoother process when changing the vibration speed. 

Northampton Saints Drive Forward With cinch In Unprecedented New Six-Year Partnership Deal

Northampton Saints are delighted to today announce that the Club has agreed a new, six-year partnership with cinch.

The UK’s fastest-growing online car marketplace, cinch signed up to become one of Saints’ Elite Partners last year but has now penned a brand-new deal which sees the innovative e-commerce scale-up commit to the Club for an even longer term.

The move marks a significant first for Saints and for Franklin’s Gardens. Northampton’s iconic ground will from today be renamed ‘cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens’ – the first stadium naming rights agreement in the Club’s 141-year history.

As well as immediately becoming the men in Black, Green and Gold’s Official Stadium Naming Rights Partner, cinch become Saints’ Principal Partner as of the 2022/23 campaign with their logo taking pride of place on the front of Saints’ playing kit from 2022/23 onwards.

“We are absolutely delighted to grow our partnership with cinch, an innovative and rapidly-growing brand,” said the Club’s Chief Executive, Mark Darbon.

“Over the last 18 months, we have navigated the most challenging period in the Club’s history, so to have secured this genuinely transformational deal – which will underpin our commercial strategy moving forwards – is an incredibly significant moment for the Club.

“cinch has committed to helping drive Northampton Saints forward for the long term, which we hope in turn, will create many more opportunities for growth on and off the pitch.” – Mark Darbon, Northampton Saints Chief Executive

“We know that Franklin’s Gardens has a special place in the heart of all Saints supporters, so the decision to rename the stadium was one not taken lightly.

“But this was a fantastic opportunity for the Club to progress our partnership with a forward-thinking, digital brand in cinch who share our ambition and already boast an impressive stable of partnerships with premium sporting organisations across the UK.

“While the name of the stadium will change, the essence of the ground of course remains the same, and we look forward to creating many more fantastic memories and chapters in our history with our supporters in the coming years.”

With the aim of taking the faff out of finding and buying a car completely online, cinch began its direct-to-consumer journey in 2020 – and has very quickly established itself as one of the UK’s largest e-commerce vehicle sites, offering motorists a new, friendly way to search for the vehicle that’s just right for them, with finance and part exchange options and a 14-day money-back guarantee.

As part of their association with Saints, cinch has also supported the Northampton Saints Foundation in delivering its innovative social inclusion programmes, by supplying the charity with a brand-new minibus to transport students. Outside of its partnership with the Club, cinch is committed to supporting a number of grassroots sports clubs and initiatives in Northamptonshire, alongside the creation of over 1000 new jobs and an industry-leading academy for the training of highly skilled mechanics at the business’ new Rockingham and Corby locations.

Avril Palmer-Baunack, Constellation Automotive Group Chairman, cinch owners said, “We are delighted to transform our partnership with Northampton Saints in the first stadium naming rights agreement in the Club’s 141-year history. The team are firmly committed to reaching the top, and that drive matches ours as one of the fastest-growing brands in the UK.

“cinch has made significant investments in and around Northamptonshire, across vehicle preparation facilities, training and jobs, so it makes perfect sense that we continue to cheer on one of the county’s most-loved sports teams with this new, comprehensive Principal Partner deal.”

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Renews UEFA Partnership

UEFA is delighted to announce a three-year deal with established partner Enterprise Rent-A-Car. An
Official Partner since 2015, this enhanced agreement covers two different competitions – the UEFA
Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League. The partnership will run from 2021 until 2024
and is Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s third cycle as a valued UEFA European Club Competition sponsor.

“We are thrilled to announce the continuation of our collaboration with a globally recognised and
well-respected brand such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Over the last six years, we have worked closely
with Enterprise to deliver exceptional fan-first experiences. Last season we were also delighted to pilot the co-creation of an engaging football content series, the Enterprise ‘Mission Series’ featuring talent such as Robert Pirès, Edgar Davids, Diego Forlán and Dimitar Berbatov. We look forward to building on our already close co-operation and using the newly created UEFA Europa Conference League to further increase awareness of the Enterprise brand,” said UEFA marketing director, Guy-Laurent
Epstein.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is part of St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings, one of the largest car rental
service providers in the world. Over the last six years, the car rental company has leveraged its
partnership with the UEFA Europa League to drive brand awareness and affinity across Europe. The
brand is available across more than 1,200 locations in Europe, including branches at key airports
and major cities.

As part of the agreement, Enterprise Rent-A-Car will benefit from exposure on stadium LED board
advertising, exclusive on-site experiences, and branded content across both competitions’ digital
platforms.

Commenting on the partnership, Kyle Sanborn, Vice President, Global Brand Marketing at
Enterprise Rent-A-Car said: “We are delighted to enter the third cycle of what has been a very
successful partnership with UEFA, enabling us to connect with a large audience through Europe’s
favourite sport, football. The renewal comes at an incredibly important time for Enterprise in Europe,
as we continue to invest in our network, our people, and our technologies to deliver outstanding
service to our customers. We welcome the expansion of the agreement with UEFA, which now
includes the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League.”

This season, a total of 64 teams from 35 of UEFA’s 55 member associations are taking part in the
group stages of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League. Matches for the
respective competitions both take place on Thursday evenings and are broadcast to a worldwide
audience.

This is the seventh sponsorship announcement for the 2021/24 UEFA Europa League and UEFA
Europa Conference League cycle, with Heineken 0.0, Hankook and Enterprise Rent-A-Car signing
new agreements and Engelbert Strauss, Just-Eat Takeaway, Swissquote and bwin joining as new
partners. The worldwide sales of all UEFA club competition sponsorship rights are carried out by
TEAM Marketing AG on UEFA’s behalf.

Virat Kohli Joins Hyperice As Athlete-Investor And Global Brand Ambassador

Hyperice, a global high-performance wellness brand specializing in percussion, dynamic air compression, vibration, thermal technology, mind technology, and contrast therapy, today announced Indian cricketer Virat Kohli as a Hyperice athlete-investor and new brand ambassador.

Through the partnership, Virat Kohli will work collaboratively with Hyperice to further accelerate the wellness category as it begins its expansion into India and continues its growth throughout the globe. Virat Kohli joins an unmatched list of elite global athlete-investors, including global football superstar Erling Haaland, 4-time tennis Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, NBA Star Ja Morant and PGA TOUR champion Rickie Fowler.

The captain of the Men’s Indian Cricket Team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Virat has ranked No.1 in all formats of the game during his career and is currently the 4th highest followed sportsperson on Instagram, a testament to his immense popularity and reach.

Fresh off leading the national side in Test series against England, Virat Kohli said: “As athletes, the way we train and compete defines us. Hyperice has provided me with a suite of innovative products that have continuously helped me optimize my performance and recovery, so it was a no-brainer for me to join the team as both an investor and ambassador. Hyperice is on a mission to help people move better around the world, and I look forward to helping tell their story in my home country of India and beyond.”

“Virat is one of the most prolific cricketers around the world and we are honoured to have him join Team Hyperice”, said Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. “We are on a mission to help everyone move and live better, and Virat is key to helping us elevate the importance of both mental and physical wellness for all people – both on and off the field.”

Hyperice was founded in 2010 by Anthony Katz, who worked closely with numerous professional athletes and teams to kickstart a movement around performance recovery technology. What started as an ice and compression sleeve, has since evolved into numerous product lines and categories including its award-winning Hypervolt, Vyper, Venom and Normatec lines.

Earlier this month, Hyperice announced its next evolution into a holistic high-performance wellness brand. The multi-prong transformation, led by Hyperice’s recent acquisition of mental wellness company Core, its third acquisition in the last 18 months, is accompanied by a new brand identity and global brand campaign, and anchored by a suite of new products and industry-first technologies. 

Following the acquisition of Recover X in December 2020, Hyperice recently launched its new pinnacle innovation – Hyperice X – the world’s first ever portable contrast therapy device. Hyperice X contrast therapy creates a localized cycle of alternating heat and cold to the area for recovery and rehabilitation. This brings together the best of both worlds with all the benefits of icing and all the therapy of heat in one device designed to temporarily numb pain and relieve inflammation (cold) and soothe stiff joints and relax muscles (hot) in the treated areas…all with no ice, cords, or water.

Alongside the launch of Hyperice X, Hyperice announced new generations of its wildly popular Hypervolt and Vyper lines:

  • Hypervolt 2: The Hypervolt 2 offers noticeable updates from the original, including an improved ergonomic design and reduced weight. Three speeds of powerful percussion help give muscles the relief they’ve been asking for, every day. 
  • Hypervolt 2 Pro: With the Hypervolt 2 Pro, users will get the same powerful percussion massage therapy that the world’s best athletes have, right in the palm of their hand. Five speeds, set by a new adjustable dial, provide relief to stiff muscles, so users can train and recover like a pro.
  • Vyper 3: All systems activated. The Vyper 3 vibrating roller’s updated design and three speeds help to prime and warm-up the body with a powerful vibrating massage. 
  • Vyper Go: The next iteration of Hyperice’s “Go” line. Following the release of the Hypervolt Go in 2020, the Vyper Go is a portable, vibrating roller that helps activate muscles, so users can feel their best before activity at home or on the go. 

Hyperice also reintroduced its latest acquisition, Core by Hyperice, as the company enters the mental wellness space:

  • Core by Hyperice: Core is designed to help people find calm and improve focus and inner strength. Unlike other meditation apps, Core is an immersive meditation experience with both an app and a handheld meditation device designed to track heart rate and stress levels. Powered by the Core App, the purposefully designed Core Meditation Trainer uses biometrics to encourage breath control and focus for those navigating meditation techniques. Core Premium subscribers also receive access to a robust library of instructor-led meditation sessions. 

While the existing range of Hyperice products in India are available on Croma, the refreshed Hypervolt and Vyper products will begin rolling out globally in late 2021, with Hyperice X and Core launching globally in 2022.

Discovery Sports Secures Decade-Long Deal To Show The Laver Cup Exclusively Across Europe

Discovery Sports has secured a ten-year agreement to show the Laver Cup exclusively for viewers across Europe* from 2021 to 2030, further expanding its comprehensive world-class tennis offering.

Coverage of the Laver Cup will be scaled to the widest audience across Europe via Discovery’s portfolio of channels and digital platforms including via Eurosport and discovery+** – the definitive streaming service for the best real-life entertainment.

The tournament, first launched in 2017 by TEAM8 – the Sports and Entertainment company co-founded by Roger Federer, and named after 11-time Grand Slam champion Rod Laver, pits six of the top men’s tennis players from Europe against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world. The unique three-day tournament has captured the imagination of tennis fans around the world and became a highly anticipated event on the major sports calendar since it was introduced in 2017.

The Laver Cup becomes part of Discovery Sports’ extensive tennis rights portfolio which also includes pan-European coverage of every Grand Slam***, numerous ATP Tour tournaments in multiple markets and every unmissable tennis moment from the Olympic Games****.

The news follows Discovery Sports’ landmark ten-year deal with Tennis Australia to show the Australian Open exclusively in Europe until at least 2031, extending Eurosport’s association with the year’s first Grand Slam since 1995 while further strengthening its reputation as the home of tennis.

Andrew Georgiou, President of Sports, Discovery, said:

“We are pleased to build on our recent agreement to show the Australian Open for a further ten years by securing this decade-long deal to bring the Laver Cup to viewers across Europe.

“Discovery has a proven track record of unlocking the power of tennis through the best storytelling, deep sports expertise and world-class technology to produce and distribute coverage and content around the biggest tournaments to large and unmatched audiences. We look forward to working as a trusted partner to the Laver Cup to continue growing the reach of the tournament for all to enjoy.”

Tony Godsick, CEO of TEAM8 and Chairman of the Laver Cup said:

“We are excited to partner with Discovery Sports and Eurosport on this landmark 10-year agreement that will bring the Laver Cup to tennis and sports fans across Europe. Europe is a force in men’s tennis, with Team Europe winning all three editions of the Laver Cup so far, and it is also a critical audience for us to reach. With Eurosport, we look forward to engaging Laver Cup fans on all platforms later this month from Laver Cup 2021 in Boston, and from London in 2022, and beyond.”

Discovery Sports has been awarded the exclusive Laver Cup rights in recognition of its proven track record of bringing new audiences to the world’s biggest tennis competitions including at the 2021 Australian Open where it secured a record-breaking number of viewers via the Eurosport App and a 61% increase in visitors to its digital platforms during the tournament.

*Discovery’s exclusive ten-year agreement to show the Laver Cup across Europe excludes France in 2021 and 2022, and is on a non-exclusive basis in Turkey in 2021 and 2022

**discovery+ is currently available in Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Spain and the United Kingdom.

***Pan-European coverage of the Australian Open, Roland-Garros (excluding France), Wimbledon in 12 markets and the US Open (excluding the UK and Ireland)

****Includes coverage of every tennis match from the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Olympic Games Paris 2024

Kaka Joins Orlando’s Bid For Host City Status At The 2026 FIFA World Cup

Kaka, the Brazilian soccer star who culminated his career playing for Orlando City SC from 2015 to 2017, has become an Honorary Chairman of GO26, Orlando’s bid for selection as one of 10 US host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.

The announcement comes as a big FIFA delegation starts its tour of nine US candidate cities in Boston today and reaches Orlando on Saturday 18th. The delegation is led by Victor Montagliani, CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice President, accompanied by Chief Tournament & Events Officer Colin Smith. 

Further city visits are planned for later in the year. In total, 17 US cities are competing for 10 selections in the final line-up.

The tours will include stadium inspections, information gathering, presentations and detailed negotiations with city authorities. 

Kaka said: “Orlando has become a home for soccer in the U.S. and deserves to host the greatest soccer event on the planet. It provides all the infrastructure top athletes need, as well as plenty of hospitality and entertainment for the fans”. 

“It’s a great honor to lend my international soccer experience and become part of the GO26 bid team. I joined the Orlando City MLS franchise from its inception and have witnessed not only incredible growth but genuine passion for the sport. Orlando has a special place in my heart”.

For the Greater Orlando Sports Commission and its CEO, Jason Siegel, the inspection visit is a major milestone. “We have been working towards this for a year – it’s an incredibly important moment for us and for our 450-strong organizing committee, who have alongside us since 2017”.

“The endorsement of Kaka is very valuable, because he sees this city – and our wonderful facilities – through the eyes of a World Cup winner. With 48 teams competing in 2026, everything has to be right for the players and fans.” 

During an extraordinary career, Kaka was described as ‘the complete player’ by Pele, following his selection as 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year.  Kaka’s Brazil and UEFA Champions League winning AC Milan teammate Ronaldinho described him as the best player in the world: “There was nothing he couldn’t do”. 

Orlando is America’s most visited destination, with 75+ million incoming tourists a year and is the second fasted growing city in the US.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will be played in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The selection process by FIFA to narrow down the list of US Candidate Host Cities is underway now and results will be announced in due course. It is projected that FIFA will select 10 US venues, in addition to the three venues in Canada and three venues in Mexico.