China missed the World Cup. Its brands didn’t

Inside a sprawling broadcast hub in Dallas, thousands of devices supplied by Lenovo are helping Fifa manage and distribute content from stadiums across the United States, Canada and Mexico, forming part of the technological backbone of the largest World Cup ever staged. The central role played by the Chinese-founded technology company highlights a reality often obscured by geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing: while US policymakers have increasingly scrutinised Chinese technology firms and sought to reduce security risks in strategically sensitive sectors, Chinese companies remain deeply embedded in global commercial ecosystems, including one of the highest-profile international events ever hosted in North America. China’s men’s national team once again failed to qualify for the World Cup, having reached the tournament only once, in 2002. Yet Chinese companies occupy some of Fifa’s most prominent commercial positions, with Lenovo serving as a top-tier Fifa Partner, electronics maker Hisense acting as a World Cup sponsor and technology provider, and dairy giant Mengniu maintaining a long-running relationship with the event. The stakes are enormous. Fifa is expected to generate between US$2.5 billion and US$3 billion in sponsorship revenue from the 2026 World Cup, making it one of the most commercially valuable sporting events ever staged and a coveted platform for companies seeking global visibility. “It’s the coming out party for Chinese global brands,” said Craig Allen, former US ambassador and senior fellow at the Asia Society. The visibility of Chinese companies at a championship hosted across North America underscores the complex relationship between geopolitical competition and commercial integration. While Washington and Beijing remain locked in disputes over trade, technology and national security, global sporting events continue to offer Chinese brands unmatched worldwide exposure. “The World Cup is a global event with billions of fans from around the world watching,” said Scott Kennedy, senior adviser and trustee chair in Chinese business and economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. “What this shows is that Chinese consumer-facing firms are pursuing a global strategy for fans around the world, an effort which continues regardless of any government-level tensions.” The companies’ prominence at the tournament also reflects the selective nature of Washington’s scrutiny of Chinese firms. Neither Lenovo nor Hisense was included on the Pentagon’s updated Section 1260H list released this week, which added companies including Alibaba, Baidu and BYD. Lenovo’s role in the event offers one example of that strategy in practice. “If people come away from the Fifa World Cup only knowing that Lenovo sponsored the tournament, not what we have delivered from a technology and innovation standpoint, then we have failed,” said Jeff Shafer, Lenovo’s chief communications officer. The company says its technology will power Fifa’s Intelligent Command Centre, a real-time operational hub designed to support tournament management before, during and after matches. Lenovo is also supplying AI-powered analytics tools for all 48 participating teams, fan-facing applications as well as digital player models intended to assist match officials with offside decisions. Lenovo is not the only Chinese company playing a key role at the tournament. Hisense, a World Cup sponsor, has spent years associating itself with major football competitions and is providing technology linked to video review systems and other match operations. Mengniu, meanwhile, has maintained one of the longest-running relationships between a Chinese company and Fifa, although its sponsorship is almost exclusively aimed at Chinese and Southeast Asian customers since there are strict US import restrictions on dairy products. Over the past decade, Beijing’s push to transform China into a football powerhouse triggered billions of dollars in investment in clubs, academies and infrastructure. Chinese conglomerates bought stakes in European clubs, sponsored tournaments and sought a greater role in global football. One of the most prominent examples was property giant Dalian Wanda Group, which became a top-tier Fifa partner in 2016 as Chinese companies aggressively expanded their presence in global sport. But many of those ambitions later collided with China’s economic slowdown, a property sector crisis and a broader retrenchment by some of the country’s largest conglomerates. Wanda remained a Fifa partner through the 2022 World Cup cycle, although its relationship with the governing body later became uncertain. Yet while China’s on-field results have disappointed, Chinese companies have steadily expanded their footprint in the business of football. Whether that reflects a national strategy or simply the global ambitions of Chinese companies is open to debate. Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Skema Business School, argues that Chinese policy documents describe an ambition for the country to become a “leading Fifa nation” by 2050, a goal that could be achieved through a variety of channels, including hosting tournaments, influencing football governance and becoming more deeply embedded in the sport’s commercial ecosystem. For Chadwick, the growing role of companies such as Lenovo, Hisense and Mengniu suggests China has achieved at least part of that objective. “China, arguably, through its commercial activities, has become a leading Fifa nation,” he said. Others view the trend less as a reflection of national strategy than of corporate evolution. As Chinese companies increasingly go head to head with Western rivals in consumer electronics, appliances and other global markets, major sporting events offer a platform to build brand recognition among audiences that extend far beyond China. Chadwick noted that many European and North American companies have shifted towards more targeted forms of marketing, while Chinese firms continue to see value in global sporting events that offer access to audiences around the world. The result is a growing Chinese presence not only at the World Cup but across international sport, from the Olympics and European football championships to tournaments in Africa and other emerging markets. As billions of viewers tune in to matches across North America over the coming weeks, China’s absence from the competition may be most visible on the field. Off it, however, its brands have secured a prominent place in the global game.

China missed the World Cup. Its brands didn’t

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From broadcast operations to sponsorships, Chinese companies hold key roles at football’s biggest event despite geopolitical friction

From broadcast operations to sponsorships, Chinese companies hold key roles at football’s biggest event despite geopolitical friction