China, 8 November 2018 – Heralding a new era for ASEAN football, the AFF Suzuki Cup has scored its first Chinese partner in Honor, a leading smartphone brand under the Huawei Group. This landmark partnership was brokered by Lagardère Sports, the exclusive commercial partner of the AFF Suzuki Cup.

As an Official Sponsor, Honor will enjoy unparalleled levels of brand exposure and fan engagement opportunities in Southeast Asia through a multitude of tournament touchpoints and customer events. The Honor brand will also be featured prominently on perimeter advertising boards, in-stadia TV commercials, social media, and official tournament collaterals throughout the tournament.

Aligning with the brand’s motto ‘For the Brave’, Honor will be presenting the “Honor Man of the Match Award”, which recognises players who have stood out during each match through team or individual contributions.

“Partnering major international events is a strategy that has helped us expand our global footprint rapidly in recent years,” said Zhao Ming, President of Honor. “At Honor, we believe in creating memorable shared experiences that add meaning to people’s lives, and partnering the AFF Suzuki Cup gives us the perfect opportunity to deepen our connection with passionate fans across the region.”

“Over the past two decades, we have helped scores of brands derive significant returns by connecting with the passion points of millions of ASEAN football fans,” said Tom Smith, President of Football (Asia) at Lagardère Sports. “We are delighted to inaugurate our first Chinese sponsor who has opened a new chapter in AFF Suzuki Cup’s illustrious history, and we look forward to showcasing Honor’s high performing and exceptionally reliable products to fans all across Southeast Asia.”

This year’s AFF Suzuki Cup boasts a new two-legged home and away format which ensures that there will be more home matches held in each participating country. This will increase exposure for players in their home country and drive greater fan engagement as established rivalries are further enhanced.