Qatar Airways becomes global airline partner of CONMEBOL

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and Qatar Airways have reached an agreement that will see the airline become the official sponsor of South American professional football club competitions for the next four and a half years, with immediate effect through to 2022. The deal includes the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores, South America's elite club competition, as well as the CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana and CONMEBOL Recopa.

"We are proud to embark on this journey with Qatar Airways, one of the world’s most prestigious airlines, to drive football development in South America," said CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez. "CONMEBOL's competitions have a rich heritage and offer some of the world’s most exciting and competitive professional football. And thanks to recent improvements, our tournaments are also among the world’s fastest growing. Naturally, we’re delighted to partner with Qatar Airways, the world’s fastest growing airline, to bring our continents closer together through sport and build a brighter future for all of South American football."

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: "Qatar Airways is thrilled to partner with CONMEBOL, which is the oldest continental confederation in the world. We are continually striving to boost our global sporting sponsorship portfolio, and this partnership is just one more example of our dedication to the sports sector. We are also excited to further expand our presence in South America, and look forward to supporting the forthcoming CONMEBOL football competitions."

Qatar Airways already works closely with a range of other partners in South America. For example, it is the chief sponsor of back-to-back Argentinian champions and 2018 Copa Libertadores finalists Boca Juniors, who wear the company's logo on the front of their shirt. In 2016, meanwhile, Qatar Airways Group carried out a strategic investment by acquiring a 10% stake in LATAM Airlines Group.