Asian soccer chiefs plan new marketing deal without tender

Singapore

THE Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has lined up a new eight-year deal with a sports marketing agency owned by French media group Lagardere without offering it to a formal tender, two sources close to the process told Reuters.

The marketing agreement with World Sports Group (WSG), re-named Lagardere Sports last month in a re-brand by the French group, replaces an existing US$1 billion deal which still had more than four years to run, the sources said. Speaking on condition of anonymity because minor aspects of the agreement are still being finalised, the sources said the new contract overwrites the master rights agreement signed in 2009 with former Asian soccer chief Mohamed bin Hammam.