BEIJING, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Druid Sport has strengthened AFA's commercial presence in China by securing a record portfolio of new regional partnerships for the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the reigning world champions, through its role as AFA's exclusive commercial representative in the market.

The Argentina National Team celebrate their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 victory, securing the nation’s third world title. Credit: AFA.

The agreements underline Druid Sport's growing capability in Asia, combining local market knowledge in international rightsholder representation, sponsorship sales strategy and brand partnership delivery.

Since its appointment, Druid Sport has delivered agreements with Dongfeng, Danone, Du Xiaoman, Wahaha Beverages, Shenzhou Car Rental and PairDeer (Sonluk), building AFA's commercial presence across automotive, FMCG, financial services, mobility and consumer electronics.

Eric Fan, Senior VP of Sales of Druid Sport China, said: "Our focus in China has been to build a balanced, strategically aligned portfolio of partners that gives AFA a strong and relevant presence across key consumer categories. The partnerships secured demonstrate the strength of that approach, translating AFA's global brand power into locally meaningful collaborations with leading Chinese brands. With the FIFA World Cup now underway, we see further opportunity to build on this momentum and deepen AFA's connection with fans across the market. More broadly, this reflects the growing importance of China for international rightsholders, as brands increasingly look to global sports properties to drive relevance, differentiation and deeper consumer engagement."

AFA's partnership with Dongfeng marks a strategic entry into China's automotive sector. As one of the country's leading automotive manufacturers, Dongfeng brings scale, innovation and a strong domestic footprint. The partnership will focus on integrated marketing campaigns, leveraging the global appeal of the Argentina National Team to drive brand affinity, customer engagement and product storytelling across key consumer segments.

The partnership with Danone was first launched in China through its Mizone brand, a leading player in the functional beverage category. Following the success of the partnership in China, the agreement was subsequently extended to Indonesia.

Through its partnership with Du Xiaoman, AFA enters China's fintech sector, with activity focused on digital campaigns and marketing across Du Xiaoman's platforms, providing access to a broad user base and creating additional touchpoints to engage fans through everyday financial services.

AFA's agreement with Wahaha provides a platform for activation across retail and distribution, supporting broad consumer engagement in the beverage category, with consumer-facing campaigns across China using the appeal of the Argentina National Team to create retail, promotional and digital engagement opportunities.

The partnership with Shenzhou Car Rental aligns AFA with one of China's leading mobility platforms, with the collaboration centred on national campaigns and customer engagement initiatives, reflecting shared values of elite performance, professionalism and reliability.

AFA's partnership with PairDeer (Sonluk) expands its presence into consumer electronics, focusing on connected devices and digital engagement to reach younger audiences across China.

Together, these agreements establish a broader commercial platform for AFA in China, creating multiple consumer touchpoints across automotive, FMCG, digital financial services, mobility and consumer electronics as the FIFA World Cup 2026 is now underway.

About Druid Sport

Druid Sport is an international sports marketing agency specialising in advisory, sponsorship rights sales and events. Operating across six key regions, with offices in Beijing, Mumbai, Dublin, Lisbon, Geneva and Riyadh, the agency combines local market insight with a global network to deliver effective commercial partnerships for rightsholders and brands, drawing on experience across multiple sports, international properties and major events.

 

Source: Druid Sport