TikTok partners with COPA90 in effort to bring fan-first content to the platform

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TikTok has partnered with COPA90 as the lead content partner to bring fan-first football content to its communities in an effort to cement its position as the home of fandom for football culture.

Global football media company COPA90 is working with TikTok and a diverse selection of key talent and influences from across Europe to produce a bold programme of innovative formats and original shows.

The intention of this content is to showcase the inspirational power of international tournaments, the melting pot of cultures and the collective creativity of fans in delivering a month-long celebration of football.

Already the entertainment has kicked off for the EURO 2020 tournament, with the ‘Get to Know’ segment featuring fans from each of the 24 participating nations sharing everything you need to know. The aptly-named ‘Starting XI’ segment encourages the audience to select a series of different starting teams following increasingly fun and challenging parameters.

Amongst the exciting content still to come is ‘The Flare Button’, TikTok’s first ever live, vertical, football studio format, providing the must-watch alternative to the traditional half-time broadcast show featuring ex-footballers, musicians, comedians and many more guests.

Additionally, COPA90 are rebooting their ground-breaking fan-first format ‘Fans Daily’, with 24 creators, one from each competing country, bringing together all the greatest fan moments from across the continent, delivered in under a minute.

The partnership builds on the wealth of football-related content already on TikTok. The platform is already a social hub for football fans, with 100M people across Europe using TikTok to share in football experiences every month, deliver comedic commentary and celebrate the most memorable moments of the beautiful game.

Head of Partnerships and Community for TikTok, James Stafford, was delighted at the prospect of teaming up with COPA90.

“Football on TikTok has had meteoric rise in the build-up to an exciting Summer of football, it has become a place where our community can follow their favourite football players, teams and creators as well as share their own unique football experiences,” he said.

“We are delighted to be working with COPA90, whose expertise and understanding of the modern football fan has resulted in new and dynamic content formats, bringing our community even more unique opportunities to engage throughout this iconic tournament.

“We are really looking forward to working with COPA90 to bring the spirit and passion of the competition to our community of football fans.”

COPA90 Chief Executive Tom Thirlwall on the agreement:

“TikTok is the perfect platform to capture the creativity and energy of football fans. We are thrilled to be bringing COPA90 formats and ethos to the TikTok community and look forward to sharing even more engaging and inspiring football content through the app.”

Auckland FC adds three All White legends to ownership group

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Image credit: PxHere website

Three former All Whites—Winston Reid, Tim Brown, and Noah Hickey—have joined the ownership group of Auckland FC, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience from their time as top-level players.

With over 580 professional and international appearances between them, the trio is united in their passion for New Zealand football and is committed to helping the club succeed.

About the three owners

Winston Reid

The former All White and captain of West Ham brings vast experience from his time in the Premier League, where he played over 150 games. Born in Auckland, Reid is particularly excited about supporting the club in his hometown.

“Getting involved as an investor with Auckland FC feels like the perfect opportunity for me. I love what the club has to offer, what it represents to Auckland, as well as the coaching and development pathways available to help players achieve their very best,” he said in a statement.

“Becoming a professional football player is one of the hardest things to achieve; it takes more than just talent. I’m humbled by the opportunity to give back some of my own experiences as a professional footballer, to the next generation.”

Tim Brown

Brown is now better known as the co-founder and co-CEO of sustainable footwear brand Allbirds and played over 100 times in the A-League and 30 times for New Zealand. His extensive professional career is complemented by his success in business.

Brown shared his ambitious vision for Auckland FC.

“Considering the number of people locally who are playing it and its global appeal, football is massively under-represented in New Zealand,” he said in a statement. 

“Auckland FC represents an opportunity to change that for the benefit of players as well as the wider NZ football community.

“I’m pleased to be joining an ownership group with such experience and expertise. We have some serious ambitions for this club, and with a world-class network of global investors, I’m confident they can be achieved.”

Noah Hickey

Hickey is another former All White and now serves as CEO of fleet maintenance software company Whip Around and co-founder of the fashion brand Asuwere.

After a professional football career spanning Auckland, Europe, and the All Whites, Hickey has built a successful corporate career.

Reflecting on his involvement with Auckland FC, Noah is confident he can unite the city of Auckland and pathways for future players.

“I’ve played football in Auckland, Europe, and internationally. Being overseas, you really notice the cultural behemoth football is and its ability to bring people from all backgrounds together,” he said via statement. 

“There’s a great opportunity here to do that in Auckland, to unite the city and create better pathways for future players to make it professionally. Having people like Tim and Winston involved is vital to that success, and I’m delighted to join them, Ali, Anna, and Bill and become a part of it.”

The reason behind this move 

The new additions join existing local owners Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray, while American businessman Bill Foley remains the majority owner.

Together, the group is focused on the long-term success of the club and creating clear pathways for young Kiwi talent to reach the professional level.

Auckland FC’s strong corporate foundations are further strengthened by the appointments of Tim Brown and Noah Hickey who have sustained success in the business industry.

Whereas for Winston Reid, the chance to give back to the city where he was born is a significant motivation, and he is determined to help the next generation succeed at the highest level.

Auckland FC CEO, Nick Becker, emphasised the club’s vision and how they plan to tackle the near future.

“All of us at the club, players, staff, and our owners share a clear vision for Auckland FC. We are proud to represent New Zealand’s biggest city, and we are working hard to build a club that has its fans at the core of our decision-making, and we’re investing in genuine talent pathways for young Kiwi boys and girls,” Becker said in the club statement.

“We are incredibly lucky that our owners recognize the growth trajectory that football is on in New Zealand and can see the opportunity that having a professional club in Auckland offers. When I look at the calibre of the ownership team now in place, I’m incredibly confident of what Auckland FC can offer, whether that be fans, players, staff, sponsors, and Auckland at large. This is great news for us, but also great news for the city.”

Conclusion

This move by Auckland FC is brilliant, combining the experience and expertise of three footballing legends to try and propel them up the table as quick as possible in this tough transitional period.

With a myriad of fantastic on-field signings, an experienced coach and now this new ownership group, Auckland FC are very carefully building a solid and sustainable foundation to launch themselves as a top club.

AFC sign a deal with Earthlink for AFC Asian Qualifiers

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Image credit: AFC website

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed Earthlink, a telecommunications provider, as an Official Regional Partner for the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26.

This sponsorship covers key AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 matches in Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait.

As part of the collaboration, Earthlink will work closely with the AFC to deliver unique fan activations during home matches in Iraq, as the Lions of Mesopotamia strive to secure their place at the global stage.

The partnership was confirmed during a meeting held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where representatives from Earthlink, including CEO Dr. Alaa Jasim, met with AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John.

Both parties emphasised their shared commitment to utilising the partnership to achieve mutual objectives and enhance the fan experience across the MENA region.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John expressed his excitement about the collaboration.

“The AFC is delighted to welcome Earthlink as an Official Regional Partner of the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26, which is a clear reflection of the world-class appeal and stature of the AFC’s national team competitions,” John explained in an AFC statement.

“The expanded and revamped format has undoubtedly paved the way for greater engagement in more territories than ever before and we thank Earthlink for sharing our belief in Asian football, and we look forward to strengthening our ties to create more lasting memories for the passionate fans across the MENA region.”

Earthlink CEO Dr. Alaa Jasim also shared his thoughts on the new partnership.

“We are happy with this partnership, and we are looking forward to continue supporting the Iraqi national team for what it represents for us as Iraqis, which is an icon and symbol that we all rally around and a source of joy in the hearts of the people,” Jasim said in a statement.

“Our link-up with the AFC is part of Earthlink’s strategy that aims to support and empower youth in related sectors, including sports. The sponsorship with the AFC complements Earthlink’s initiatives in supporting Iraqi sports, and we have confidence in the team that will continue to represent Iraq in the best way and honour Iraqi football all the way to the World Cup Finals.

“We thank the AFC for being one of our international partners, and I express my gratitude for the warm reception at this great establishment.”

It is always a positive to see a large company partner with a football federation to innovate fan activations and improve the experience during matchdays.

This is certainly a first for the AFC, the Iraq National Team and the MENA region, and the success with Earthlink could spark a new way to connect to fans in stadiums.

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