The partnership brings together the recently crowned Women’s Super League (WSL) Champions, Arsenal and 6 time UEFA Women Champions League Champions Olympique Lyonnais with Mastercard.
Arsenal Women’s General Manager, Clare Wheatley, said: “This partnership is an exciting new chapter for us. The women’s game has grown exponentially in recent years, allowing more people around the world to experience and follow women’s football.
“The support from across the club and our fans has enabled us to win the Women’s Super League this season and qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, and this partnership will help us to take our game to the next level.”
Arsenal’s Managing Director, Vinai Venkatesham added: “Arsenal Women has such a rich history of success and the club’s long-standing commitment to growing and developing the women’s game has ensured the team has stayed at the top of their own game for over 30 years.
“We’re the most successful team in women’s football in England – something we’re all incredibly proud of at Arsenal – but we don’t want to stop there. Partnering with a global player like Mastercard is a huge statement for women’s sport.
“The partnership will help us build on our success, but it will also promote the women’s game globally and continue to develop and attract the world’s best talent and inspire generations of young sportswomen.”
Arsenal Women have won 60 trophies in their history and are the most followed women’s sports team in the world on Facebook with nearly five million likes.
Mastercard, which has been a long-standing advocate of the importance of diversity, inclusion and integrity in sport, is partnering with Arsenal Women to raise awareness, increase investment, professionalism and competition in the game in general.
Arsenal’s Commercial Director, Peter Silverstone concluded: “This partnership is extremely important for the growth of the women’s game.
“Mastercard’s partnership with us isn’t just an investment into our own team, but is a powerful statement for the women’s game at large. We’re delighted that Mastercard has partnered with our women’s team to help the brand reach a broader audience to show its investment in, and commitment, to women’s sport.”
Mastercard will also partner with French side, Olympique Lyonnais, widely recognised as a global benchmark in Women’s sports in any sports, in the words used by the New York Times the day before the UEFA Women Champions League final.
Olympique Lyonnais won its 6th UEFA Women Champions League Champions title last Saturday, the fourth in a row. It also won its eighth French Cup and its thirteenth consecutive national champions title, winning an historic triple crown at the end of 2018-2019 season.
Through this three-year partnership agreement, Mastercard becomes one of Olympique Lyonnais Women’s Team’s principal sponsor, starting with the 2019-2020 season.
Ada Hegerberg, the first woman to have ever received a Ballon d’Or, is joined by Wendie Renard, Olympique Lyonnais’ captain and former national team captain, Kadeisha Buchanan, Olympique Lyonnais captain of Canadian national team, and Saki Kumagai, captain of Japan national team.
Thierry Sauvage, Olympique Lyonnais Managing Director, said: “The Olympique Lyonnais is proud to partner with Mastercard. This partnership around the Women’s team reflects one of the world’s leader in payment systems sector’ confidence in the Olympique Lyonnais’ strategy and our ambition to achieve parity and balance in football.
“This is part of our club’s DNA. We are truly honoured to have the support of major companies which share and live for these values and commit to them in the long-term. It is a massive recognition for our sports and for the track record our team has built,”
Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer for Mastercard, added: “By investing significantly in women’s football, as a professional and influential sport, we have an opportunity to directly impact the lives of athletes and help build sustainable programs to which girls and women around the world can aspire.”
Image: Mastercard
