Emirates will be the official partner and airline of the 2019 West Asian Football Federation Championship in Iraq next month, the company have announced.

The agreement is part of its continued commitment to promoting football and connecting with fans across the region, with the airline excited to support the ninth edition of the tournament in Erbil and Karbala.

The two-week championship will run from August 2-14, with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen all competing for the coveted title.

And this year’s event holds a special significance, as Iraq hosts the championship for the first time ever and its first regional event of this kind for over 30 years.

The airline will continue its sustained support for footballing initiatives all around the globe

Tariq Al Mutawa, manager of Kuwait and Iraq for Emirates said: “Our partnership with the West Asian Football Federation Championship is an opportunity to connect with football fans in Iraq and across the region who will be supporting their national teams. 

“As the most popular sport in the world, football continues to reach more fans each year, and is the best platform to enable the Emirates brand to continue to grow in this region and beyond.”

Emirates will gain considerable visibility throughout the event, using on-site advertising at playing venues as well as maintaining a prominent presence both in print and on TV.

The brand’s accessibility will be furthered by the tournament’s broadcasting across 16 countries, also benefiting from the digital and social media activation rights it signed with the West Asian Football Federation for its multiple online platforms.

The deal comes after a period of continual Emirates support for football all over the world, sponsoring the shirts of Arsenal, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Hamburger SV and Benfica SL as well as England’s FA Cup.

Previously, Emirates had also sponsored current Ligue 1 champions and European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain.

The company is also official airline and partner of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), owning the sponsorship rights to all its competitions including the AFC Champions League, AFC Cup and the AFC Challenge Cup.