WOLFSBURG/FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - According to the German Press Agency, the VW automotive group will remain the general sponsor of the German Football Association (DFB). The contract, which expires this year, will be extended; the term and conditions are to be announced at a meeting on Wednesday evening at the company's branch in Berlin. VW and the DFB have not yet officially confirmed the agreement. The details of the new agreement were apparently still being negotiated.

For the DFB, the continuation of the cooperation with the important financial backer shortly before the home European Championship is a further economic success. In March, the switch from long-term supplier Adidas to Nike from 2027 was announced. Although this caused criticism in the highest government circles, it reportedly brings the financially ailing DFB a high double-digit million increase in revenue.

First contract before the sporting crisis

VW had replaced Mercedes-Benz as general sponsor in 2019. The contract had already been concluded in 2017 and thus before the start of the national soccer team's sporting crisis with the early World Cup failures in 2018 and 2022 and the disappointment at the European Championships in 2021. Neither side provided any information about the terms at the time. According to unconfirmed media reports, 25 to 30 million euros per year were transferred. A contract extension - possibly on different terms - had been negotiated for a long time during the sporting crisis.

With the VW deal, the DFB leadership around President Bernd Neuendorf continues the recent positive economic news. In addition to Nike, the association had also concluded cooperation agreements with the social media platform Tiktok and the financial services provider Klarna. On the sporting side, national coach Julian Nagelsmann and sporting director Rudi Voller were retained until the 2026 World Cup as hoped. Nagelsmann will officially present his European Championship squad, some of which is already known, on Thursday at the same VW location in the heart of the capital.

Neuendorf in Thailand instead of Berlin

The DFB will be represented by Voller and managing director Andreas Rettig at Wednesday's meeting with VW's top management led by CEO Oliver Blume. President Neuendorf will then be on his way to the FIFA Congress in Thailand. In Bangkok, the DFB is hoping to win the bid to host the Women's World Cup 2027 with Belgium and the Netherlands. However, the favorite to host the event is rival Brazil./aer/DP/zb