Visa Confirms Global FIFA Relationship

Visa Confirms Global FIFA Relationship

June 28, 2007

-- New Global Sponsorship Links One of the World's Leading
Payment Brands and the World's Leading Sport


    LONDON, SAN FRANCISCO and ZURICH, June 28
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- 

    Visa International and FIFA (Federation Internationale
de Football Association) today confirmed that Visa has
become a FIFA Partner with global rights to a broad range
of FIFA activities, including the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World
Cups(TM) and the FIFA Women's World Cups.

    Based on a settlement agreement between the parties,
the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York,
dismissed MasterCard Worldwide's suit against FIFA on June
21. This paved the way for the Visa-FIFA contract to be
implemented. Through this new relationship, Visa has access
to FIFA competitions, special events and development
programs worldwide, and becomes the sixth and final top
tier FIFA Partner.

    This sponsorship delivers on Visa's strategy of
associating with some of the world's best brands. Visa's
global partnerships provide Visa cardholders and members
with programs that touch multiple facets of their daily
lives, whether it's the aspirational aspects of the Olympic
Games, family entertainment associated with the Walt Disney
Company, or the passion associated with football.

    Visa's rights in FIFA's Payment Services product
category begin with this year's FIFA Under-20 World Cup in
Canada and will run through the 2014 FIFA World Cup. As a
FIFA Partner, Visa will have a higher level of association
with these and other properties than previous category
sponsors have had in the past. Visa will have rights to a
broad range of activities including exclusive marketing
assets, competitions, special events and development
programs. Visa and FIFA will work together globally to
create exclusive Visa programs at a host of FIFA events.

    "We look forward to activating our FIFA
partnership. With Visa's broad experience and successful
sponsorship of major properties such as the Olympic Games
and Rugby World Cup, we know firsthand how valuable a
global sporting property can be in driving business,"
said John Elkins, executive vice president at Visa
International. "With this partnership, Visa will work
with our network of over 20,000 Visa financial institutions
to deliver incremental value to our cardholders and
merchants."

    "I am pleased to have all our six FIFA Partners on
board and that we can now focus our attention and energy
towards ensuring the staging of world-class football
competitions as well as to using the power of the sport to
tackle some major social issues," said FIFA President
Joseph S. Blatter. "Visa has the requisite breadth and
social commitment to support us in our endeavours and we
look forward to a rewarding partnership." 

    Visa's first FIFA World Cup(TM) as a FIFA Partner will
be the 2010 tournament in South Africa and Visa will
develop a suite of programs to continue expanding merchant
acceptance, building member bank relationships, and growing
tourism in that country. "We're tremendously excited
about working with our partners in South Africa in the
run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup," said Elkins.
"South Africa is a key location for Visa and there is
great potential for us to work together with FIFA to leave
behind a positive legacy following the 2010 event." 

    Over the eight-year period of its FIFA Partnership,
Visa will be able to engage in the marketing of FIFA events
and competitions such as the FIFA World Cup(TM), the FIFA
Women's World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup, the FIFA Club
World Cup, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA U-17 World
Cup, the FIFA Interactive World Cup, the FIFA Beach Soccer
World Cup, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, FIFA U-17
Women's World Cup and the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Visa will
also be working with FIFA to explore the possibility of
fostering and promoting visually impaired football, drawing
upon Visa's long-standing involvement with Paralympic
sports.

    About Visa

    Visa connects cardholders, merchants and financial
institutions through the world's largest electronic
payments network. Visa products allow buyers and sellers to
conduct commerce with ease and confidence in both the
physical and virtual worlds. Visa is committed to the
sustained growth of electronic payment systems to support
the needs of all stakeholders and to drive economic growth.
Visa products currently generate more than US$4.6 trillion
in sales volume worldwide. Visa enjoys unsurpassed
acceptance around the world. In addition, Visa/PLUS is one
of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash
access in local currency in over 170 countries. For more
information, visit http://www.corporate.visa.com .


    For more information, please contact:

     Michael Sherman
     Visa International
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Sabine Middlemass
     Visa International
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Sujit Jasani
     Visa International
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]