August 16, 2024
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) have announced a multi-year partnership to support the shared ambition of developing football at all levels of the game in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The partnership will support the growth of the sport at all levels, enhancing CONCACAF men’s, women’s and youth national team and club competitions with a focus on providing access to sport for children and youth across all 41 CONCACAF confederations.
The timing of the partnership comes as the region prepares to host major football tournaments in the coming years, including the CONCACAF Champions Cup for men and women, the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the next FIFA World Cup in 2026, which will be co-hosted by three CONCACAF member associations – Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
With PIF’s focus on inclusivity and youth as key pillars of its sponsorship platform, the partnership will also support CONCACAF in its efforts to increase the number of official youth tournaments it offers in the coming years.
This will provide further opportunities for emerging talents in the region including through the CONCACAF under-15, under-17 and under-20 championships for both men and women and the under-17 and under-20 competitions serving as qualification tournaments for FIFA U17 and U20 World Cups respectively.
The CONCACAF partnership maintains PIF’s growing portfolio of partnerships in tennis, golf, soccer, and electric motorsports, which focus on investing in people, projects and initiatives that embrace PIF’s four sponsorship pillars: inclusion, sustainability, youth, and technology.
“We are delighted to announce this new strategic partnership that will support the confederation in developing football at all levels across our region,” said Victor Montagliani, CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice President. “This is a pivotal time for PIF to engage with football in CONCACAF. Interest in the sport is growing rapidly in our confederation and will reach new heights with the major CONCACAF competitions over the next two years, as we approach the biggest ever FIFA World Cup to be held in our region in 2026.”
“Together, we will develop a series of initiatives to create a positive and lasting impact across all CONCACAF competitions. As PIF, the Saudi sovereign fund, expands its portfolio of inspiring sponsorships, our commitment to investing in sports remains steadfast,” said Mohammed Al Sayyad, PIF’s Chief Brand Officer.
The PIF-CONCACAF partnership will also enhance the growth and development of existing CONCACAF initiatives. These include CONCACAF’s “The Bigger Game” initiative, which leverages the popularity of football as a vehicle to deliver sports and educational programs and initiatives in local communities.