Ant
International has signed a sponsorship agreement with the Argentine Football
Association (AFA), securing the rights to market its digital payment brands to
audiences across Asia, the company announced today (Monday).
Under the
deal, the Singapore-based fintech becomes an Official Sponsor of the Argentine
National Football Team for the Asia region, excluding the Middle East. The
arrangement gives Ant International access to AFA’s intellectual property and
the likeness of Argentine players to run campaigns across its brand portfolio,
including Alipay+, Antom, Bettr and WorldFirst, the company said.
AFA Builds a Fintech
Sponsor Portfolio
The signing
adds Ant International to a growing list of financial technology firms that
have struck regional deals with AFA in recent months. ATFX signed on
as a regional sponsor in January 2026, targeting Asian and broader international
markets with the team’s brand. Before that, XBO.com was
named official global sponsor in February 2025, joining a roster that already included
multiple fintech and trading companies.
“Football
is the ultimate universal language. It serves as a powerful bridge that
transcends borders and connects the entire world,” AFA president Claudio
Fabian Tapia commented. “Through this partnership, we are excited to bring
that connection to an even wider audience in Asia.”
The pattern
reflects a deliberate commercial strategy by AFA. The association reportedly
generates more than $80 million annually from sponsorships and has been
aggressively pursuing Asian and Middle Eastern partners since at least
2018.
PU Prime inked
a regional sponsorship in March 2025 and later held an
official signing ceremony in Madrid that June, signaling the federation’s
ongoing focus on building commercial relationships in Asia through the football
property.
Alipay+ Extends Its Sports
Marketing Push
Ant
International, a subsidiary of China’s Ant Group, already has sports marketing
experience to draw on. In September 2025, it secured Alipay+ as an Official
Payment Partner of the
Laver Cup through 2029. The AFA deal extends that approach to team sports
and a global audience tied to football.
The company
claims its Alipay+ platform connects 1.8 billion consumer accounts to more than
150 million merchants across the Asia Pacific, integrating over 300 payment
methods. In February, India’s government and central bank were reportedly in
discussions with Ant International about linking Alipay+ with the country’s
instant payment system for cross-border transactions, Reuters reported.
CEO Peng
Yang positioned the Argentine partnership as consistent with that growth
strategy. “Sports and tech are two critical bonds for communities and
markets that break barriers and connect people,” Yang said. “Together
we will bring more extensive and enriched football experience and community
impact through our Asia fintech and digital services network.”
World Cup Window Adds
Urgency for Sponsors
With the
2026 FIFA World Cup set for North America this summer, Argentina enters as one
of the tournament favorites after winning in Qatar in 2022, the country’s third
title after earlier victories in 1978 and 1986. That status has made AFA an
attractive vehicle for brands looking to reach football fans across Asia in the
months leading up to the tournament.
The
association has not limited its fintech partnerships to payment
companies. Evest.com was
named AFA’s official online trading partner in January 2026, with the deals ranging from CFD
brokers to crypto platforms and now cross-border payment infrastructure.
Leandro
Petersen, AFA’s Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, described the Ant
International agreement as more than a short-term marketing activation.
“By
joining forces, we aim to deepen our presence in Asia and achieve new heights
in both sports and fin-tech,” he said.
Ant
International operates more than 30 offices globally and describes itself as a
provider of AI- and blockchain-powered payment, treasury, and digitalization
solutions for merchants and financial institutions.
This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.
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