World hockey has struggled to bring top sponsorship to its portfolio of events, but hopes its partnership with leading global sports marketing agency Sportfive will buck the trend.
Outside of events being sponsored by Indian companies at tournaments on the sub-continent, hockey has failed to attract top tier sponsorship for events such as the FIH Pro League.
Now, Sportfive will serve as a key commercial partner for the FIH, supporting its mission “to elevate the sport‘s global visibility” and secure brand partnerships across markets including the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and the UK.
The partnership will debut with the 2026 Hockey World Cup, while it will also include the Pro League and FIH Hockey5s World Cup.
The German company has worked with an array of sports over the last 20 years. Deals have included the Los Angeles Lakers and Bibigo where Sportfive facilitated the Lakers’ first-ever global partnership with the Korean food company.
In football, it enabled a partnership between the travel platform Trivago and Chelsea FC. Meanwhile, Sportfive has a longstanding relationship with Borussia Dortmund as the main partner and brokering other deals for the club.
FIH president Tayyab Ikram said: “We are confident that Sportfive’s support will enable us to elevate hockey to the next level and are looking forward to a fruitful collaboration.”
Robert Müller von Vultejus, Sportfive’s chief growth officer, said: “Partnering with FIH for the 2026 World Cup allows us to tap into the energy of hockey’s global fanbase while delivering tailored brand solutions across diverse markets.”
