FIFA appoints Vivo as third World Cup sponsor from China
FIFA has signed-up Chinese software and smartphone company Vivo as the third Chinese sponsor for the 2018 World Cup due to be held in Russia, alongside property and cinema conglomerate Wanda and electronics firm Hisense. In the wake of the football association's 2015 corruption scandal, only companies from China and the Cup's host nations have agreed to serve as sponsors.
ZURICH (AP) - FIFA has signed another Chinese sponsor for the World Cup, agreeing to a deal with smartphone and software maker Vivo.

FIFA says the six-year contract for a second-tier sponsorship runs through the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Vivo becomes the third major World Cup sponsor signed from China since FIFA President Gianni Infantino took office 15 months ago.

Wanda, a property and cinema conglomerate, signed as a top-tier sponsor through 2030. Consumer electronics firm Hisense committee only through the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Only sponsors from China plus host nations Russia and Qatar have signed with FIFA for the World Cup in the scandal-hit years since the 2014 tournament.