Hanoi, 23 May 2022 – The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) today announced an exciting new chapter for the AFF Championship with global leading integrated electronics and electrical equipment manufacturing company Mitsubishi Electric named as the new title sponsor of their flagship event.

Scheduled to kick off this December, the 14th edition of ASEAN’s biggest and most prestigious football competition will now be officially titled the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022. Brokered by AFF’s exclusive commercial rights representative SPORTFIVE and supported by Dentsu, this landmark deal comes on the back of Mitsubishi Electric’s successful sponsorship of the most recent edition of the biennial tournament (held in late 2021) and will mark an important milestone as Mitsubishi Electric step into the title sponsorship role.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and the Football Federation AFF signed atitle sponsorship agreement for the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 

From its founding in 1921, Mitsubishi Electric has been at the forefront of Japan’s technical ingenuity and product innovation and has continued to create a long list of “firsts” and ground breaking new technologies that have shaped its business fields all around the world. With over 50 years’ experience, Mitsubishi Electric Group has been providing reliable, high-quality products to homes, businesses and industries in the Asia Pacific region.

Representative of AFF, Mitsubishi Electric and SPORTFIVE (from left to right) at the ceremony

With the slogan that "Together, we can build better”, the title sponsorship of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 is an extension of Mitsubishi Electric’s aspirations to strengthen the relationships between players, fans and all their stakeholders to cultivate a sense of unity to deliver a successful event and contribute to the development of the region. In addition, as a diversified electric equipment manufacturer, Mitsubishi Electric Group aims to expand its business within the fast-growing Southeast Asia region, as well as contribute to the further development of the region by providing its diverse products, services and technologies. As the Title Sponsor, Mitsubishi Electric will have the right to name the event and use the tournament event mark and official status across its marketing platforms and collateral. The brand will also benefit from significant brand exposure across the region – through being featured on the official tournament collateral, the event’s digital channels, in-stadia TV commercials, perimeter advertising boards and product placements in every stadium where matches are held. In addition, Mitsubishi Electric will also have the right to be a presenting partner of the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award as well as carry out various digital and on-site activations such as the Player Escort Programme and the Trophy Tour.

Representative of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation at the ceremony

Kunihiko Seki, Corporate Executive and Chief Representative Asia Pacific Region of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation said: “As the world starts to re-open after two difficult years, we are excited to become the title sponsor of the AFF Championship and support AFF’s vision in bringing this unique event to the next level. For over 50 years, Mitsubishi Electric has supplied various products, ranging from home electronics to industrial and commercial equipment, to the Asia Pacific region. Today, we continue to work towards our goal of contributing to society by realizing a sustainable global environment. We are looking forward to build a better future together with the AFF. We hope we can bring excitement and joy to many people through this sponsorship.”

Mr. Kunihiko Seki, Corporate Executive and Chief Representative Asia Pacific Region of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

AFF President, Major General Khiev Sameth, said: “I am extremely pleased to have Mitsubishi Electric on board with us as the new title sponsor. As the AFF Championship enters its 14th edition, we must continue to innovate and break new ground to meet tomorrow’s challenges. The objective to further develop and shape the future of regional football – through the platform of the AFF Championship - is at the heart of Mitsubishi Electric’s mission. This landmark partnership will herald in a new era for the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup and I have great optimism that we can propel the tournament to new heights and further lift football in the region together.”

AFF President, Major General Khiev Sameth

Malcolm Thorpe, Managing Director, South East Asia at SPORTFIVE, said: “We would like to express our appreciation to Mitsubishi Electric for embracing the region’s biggest footballing tournament as the new title sponsor. This new partnership presents a fantastic opportunity to rally around our collective goal to sustain the growth of ASEAN football and chart an exciting future for this event. The recent 2020 edition of the event – which Thailand clinched their sixth AFF Championship title following their win against Indonesia in the final – delivered record breaking ratings with over 260 million television viewers and social media reach of over 657 million and 2 billion total impressions. We are confident that the first edition of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup later this year will see further growth with the planned return to a full home and away format.”

Mr. Malcolm Thorpe, Managing Director, South East Asia at SPORTFIVE

Since the competition started in 1996, the AFF Championship has always meant a lot to millions of football fans in Southeast Asia. Despite the impact and disruption caused by the pandemic, the 2020 tournament continues to draw passionate supporters and massive viewership numbers around the region as shown below.

(Source: https://beyond-the-match.com)

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About the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022

The AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 is a biennial football competition organized by the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). First played in 1996, the tournament is contested by the national ‘A’ teams of South East Asia and boasts record TV ratings. In 2022, the 14th edition will continue the format where 10 qualified teams will be split into two groups of five and play a round robin system, with each team playing four fixtures. The format of the knockout round remains unchanged, with the semi-finals and the final played on two-leg format. www.affmitsubishielectriccup.com

About Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

With more than 100 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. Mitsubishi Electric enriches society with technology in the spirit of its “Changes for the Better.” For more information, please visit www.MitsubishiElectric.com

About ASEAN Football Federation (AFF)

The ASEAN Football Federation comprises 12 Member Associations. The main objectives of the ASEAN Football Federation are to develop football in ASEAN through its activities, courses and competitions, to continue to nurture the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup as the premier football tournament in Asia, and to foster closer relationships between Member Associations in ASEAN and the Regional Federations across Asia. www.aseanfootball.org

About SPORTFIVE

SPORTFIVE utilises the unique emotional power of sports to create and enable pioneering partnerships in sports. By delivering responsible commercialization, full service solutions and long-term value for all stakeholders in sports, SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans by leveraging a global network paired with decades of experience and innovative spirit. As a market leader and with customer centricity and vast data intelligence at its core, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through its innovative digital solutions and thereby always aims to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports. SPORTFIVE operates as an international sports business agency with a global mindset and a network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Football, Golf, Esports, Motorsport, Handball, Tennis, American Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Multi Sport Events and many more. For more information, please visit SPORTFIVE’s website or LinkedIn.