MasterCard Sponsors Copa América for the 10th Consecutive Edition

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MasterCard has just announced that it has signed an agreement with Wematch to be the official card and preferred payment method for Copa América Chile 2015. The event, organized by CONMEBOL, is the primary national team tournament in Latin America and will be the most highly watched national team soccer event in the world in 2015.  The sponsorship agreement with Wematch, the exclusive commercial rightsholder of Copa América, represents the 10th consecutive Copa América sponsored by MasterCard.

The 2015 edition of the Copa América tournament, which will be held in Chile between June 11th and July 4th, is the 44th edition of the oldest national team soccer tournament in the world.

“The renewal of this sponsorship demonstrates the commitment that MasterCard has with football in Latin America,” said Gilberto Caldart, president of MasterCard for Latin America and the Caribbean. “The passion of Latin Americans for football is recognized all over the world. And sponsoring the Copa América, allows us to provide cardholders with benefits and priceless experiences all over the region.”

With this agreement, MasterCard will have exclusivity in the payment services category, global rights to use the tournament name and brand, the opportunity to work with their customers to increase the scope of marketing initiatives for the tournament, and exclusive tickets and experiences for promotional offers targeted to MasterCard cardholders.

MasterCard also holds the exclusive rights for the Copa América Trophy Tour, which will travel through Chile and other Latin American countries, providing fans with a unique opportunity to see the coveted trophy, which has been in the hands of many soccer legends.

We are thrilled to be sponsoring our tenth edition of Copa América,” said Geraldine Cooper, head of MasterCard Sponsorships for Latin America and the Caribbean. “There are countless priceless experiences that our brand has enabled among consumers throughout these years.  Now, with national teams in Latin America experiencing great success with football and star players from all over the region standing out internationally, we expect this tournament to be another great opportunity for MasterCard cardholders to benefit from the many offers and experiences with Copa America and the sport of football that they are so passionate about. ”

About MasterCard

MasterCard(NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

 About Copa America

Copa America, first played in 1916, is the oldest national team championship in the world and features three of the winningest teams in the history of soccer:  Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay which amongst them have won 9 of 20 World Cups and 36 of 42 Copas America.  Several of the greatest players in the history of soccer have showcased their talent at Copa America such as Maradona and Messi (ARG); Pelé, Ronaldo and Neymar (BRA); Figueroa (CHI); Valderrama (COL); Romerito (PAR); Cubillas (PER); Rocha (URU), Forlan (URU) and Suarez (URU).  Copa América 2015 will be held in Chile on June 11 – July 7 featuring Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

About Wematch

Wematch is a partnership between Full Play, Torneos and Traffic Sports to develop and promote soccer worldwide.  Collectively, the three companies offer more than 80 years in media, entertainment and sports, spearheaded by soccer. Wematch kicks off with the commercial rights to Copa America, the most important soccer tournament in the Americas.