Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE) ("Yingli Green Energy" or the "Company"), a solar energy company and one of the world's largest vertically integrated photovoltaic ("PV") manufacturers, which markets its products under the brand "Yingli Solar", announced the sponsorship of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil(TM) on the occasion of the 2011 Intersolar show in Munich, Germany. During a joint press conference, both FIFA and Yingli Green Energy's top management addressed journalists and guests from around the globe. A special attraction was the display of the 2014 FIFA World Cup(TM) Winner's Trophy and introductory speeches by Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy, and Mr. Thierry Weil, Marketing Director of FIFA.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup(TM) will be the 20th edition of world football's flagship event and is scheduled to take place in June and July 2014 in Brazil. Yingli Green Energy is convinced that the FIFA World Cup(TM) is one of the best marketing platforms. This particular FIFA World Cup(TM) will ensure not only brand exposure into Brazil, one of the largest consumers of energy in South America, but all around the world. Brazil, with an estimated cumulative solar PV capacity of currently 20MW, has long been referred to as the "pais do future" - the country of the future. Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy, said: "After our 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) sponsorship, we saw a tremendous increase in our brand awareness and inquiries for our products. We were also very happy to see how our products brought smiles to the children in need by supplying our solar solutions for FIFA's Football for Hope program. Thus, we are thrilled to continue our sponsorship with FIFA by becoming an Official Sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil(TM) and to be an important renewable energy partner to the world's most-watched single-sport event. We are excited to once again join hands with FIFA, to build a greener FIFA World Cup(TM) and a more sustainable future with affordable clean energy provided by the sun."
Mr. Thierry Weil, FIFA Marketing Director said, "We could not have organized the FIFA World Cup(TM) on the scale that we saw in 2010 without the support of sponsors such as Yingli Solar. Yingli Solar's activities have had a wide geographical impact, from raising the awareness of the FIFA World Cup(TM) in their home market China, to providing solar expertise and products in rural parts of Africa as part of the "Football for Hope" program. We view our agreement as a strategic long-term cooperation and I am delighted to welcome Yingli Solar on board as a committed sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup(TM)."
Yingli Green Energy's sponsorship rights include ticketing and hospitality rights, perimeter board advertising, as well as the right to use FIFA World Cup(TM) emblems and logo. The company expects its sponsorship activities to increase business opportunities in Brazil and other regions in Latin America. Yingli Green Energy is closely collaborating with FIFA and their partners, in their hopes to create a greener and more sustainable FIFA World Cup.