Tsingtao has become the latest high-profile company to enter into a commercial partnership with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) after the announcement of a four-year extension to their existing deal was made on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur.

Tsingtao will be partners for the AFC Champions League and the new format of the AFC Cup from the start of the 2017 season in the ASEAN, East and South Asia regions of the world’s most populous football Confederation.

Prior to the official launch in the Malaysian capital which took place before the draws of the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup for the 2017 season, Dato’ Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary, said: “We are delighted at the renewed commitment of companies like Tsingtao to the ever-improving and fast developing landscape of club football in Asia. We thank them for the support of the AFC club competitions.

“The AFC’s Vision and Mission states our objective is to provide top level competitions to provide the platform for our teams to continue to raise their standards and challenge on the world stage. It is a challenge that we are determined to meet.

“The AFC Champions League and AFC Cup in 2016 were the richest in history and the AFC Champions League has the highest prize money for the winners of any club competition outside Europe. It is a clear signal that the AFC is determined to reward success.

“And now, from the 2017 season, we have revamped the AFC Cup so that it will be played in each of the five existing regions of the AFC and will deliver a champion in each region for the first time. The four champions from ASEAN, Central, East and South will also play off to provide an overall East champion. That team will then face the West Champions in the AFC Cup final.

“Again this move will help raise the competitiveness of the AFC Cup and to provide more matches for more clubs and involve more Member Associations.”

Attending the draw in Malaysia, Cai Zhi Wei, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing of Tsingtao, who also have the rights to present a Man of the Match Award in the designated territories, said: “Tsingtao’s continued commitment to make a seven-year partnership with AFC Champions League and AFC Cup displays Tsingtao’s support to the future of Asian Football.”

(AFC Press Release)