NEW DELHI: Bank of Baroda has become the first Indian company to sign up as a National Supporter for the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, the first FIFA event to be hosted in the subcontinent.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and President of the All India Football Federation Praful Patel said, “We are pleased to welcome Bank of Baroda as the first Indian company that will be associated with the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017. As an organisation that has a long affiliation with football, this company has been an active supporter of the game for many years and shares our enthusiasm to develop and strengthen football in India. As President of the AIFF, I am committed to ensuring that football development in India gets the support it deserves, and I believe that this new partnership with Bank of Baroda is a very concrete step in the right direction to continue the growth that the sport has had in India.”
Tournament Director Javier Ceppi was not surprised by the keen interest in the National Supporter slots. “This is a landmark event in Indian sport. As the first ever FIFA tournament to be hosted in India and with India as one of the participating teams, it is a unique opportunity to be partners in making football history in this country. By joining in at this early stage, Bank of Baroda will have the added advantage of ten months of exposure in the build up to the FIFA U‑17 World Cup.”
Over recent years, increasing awareness of and participation in sports has become a key focus for the state-owned banking and financial services company with its headquarters in Vadodara in Gujarat.
“We are highly motivated to promote football across the country and to inspire a new generation of youngsters. Partnering with the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 was a logical choice for us, as there will be no bigger sporting event in the country next year. It is truly an Indian crusade to make sure that this tournament succeeds and engages our complete population. We are sure that our strong banking network across the nation will help to make that happen and we are excited about becoming the first National Supporter for the event,” said Mr Rakesh Kumar Bhatia, General Manager (Marketing, Corporate Communications & WMS) at Bank of Baroda.
With the signing of the agreement, Bank of Baroda has thus claimed the first of six National Supporter slots for the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017. The tournament will be held from 6‑28 October 2017.