Fanatics strikes long-term merchandise deal with World Cup winners
Online sporting retail partner Fanatics, which has its international division base in Manchester, has sealed a new partnership with the Argentine Football Association.
The long-term agreement will see Fanatics build and operate the official e-commerce store of the AFA, with the aim of reaching the growing global Argentine fanbase.
Fanatics, which boasts partnership deals with English football clubs Aston Villa, Chelsea and Derby County, as well as the German football federation, will aim to strengthen commercial results and improve brand positioning of Argentina’s national teams, giving fans access to a wide range of official merchandise, wherever they are in the world.
Argentina won the men’s World Cup in Qatar last December, and the new online store will offer Argentine fans a significantly expanded range of merchandise, with fans able to purchase official Argentina adidas clothing, official AFA merchandise and a unique range of Argentina products developed and designed by Fanatics.
The new online store, which will launch in 2024, will utilise Fanatics’ Cloud Commerce Platform, covering online shopping as well as mobile-based transactions.
Claudio Fabián Tapia, president of AFA, said: “It is very important for us that fans around the world can have access to the official products of our national team.
“That is why we believe that this agreement with a global leader like Fanatics will give our fans quick and direct access to them and will continue to strengthen and expand our brand internationally. Welcome Fanatics to the Argentine national team family.”
Matthew Primack, senior vice president, international business affairs and development at Fanatics, said: “Argentina boasts a rich football heritage and is one of the most successful nations in the history of the sport, so we are pleased to announce this new global partnership.
“Fans of Argentina are famously passionate about their team and we are privileged to launch a new online store for them, offering a wide range of merchandise to make it easier for them to show their support for La Albiceleste.”
He added: “Fanatics now works with many top international football federations, and we have extensive global capabilities, meaning that no matter where international football fans might be, they are able to buy the latest official merchandise to show their support for their country.”
Leandro Petersen, commercial and marketing director of AFA, said: “Within the global development of the Argentine national team brand and the expansion of the AFA in the world, a crucial point is the access of our global fans to official products.
“As it could not be otherwise, we sought to associate ourselves with the number one in the market in sports merchandising to continue our expansion in the United States, Europe and the rest of the world. We are happy about this long term agreement with Fanatics that will allow us to develop our official online store.”
