Canon announced as UEFA EURO 2008™ sponsor

095 – Canon Europe joins Global Event Sponsor group for UEFA EURO 2008™

UEFA announced today Canon Europe as a new Global Event Sponsor of the UEFA European Football Championship™ in Austria/Switzerland next year, UEFA EURO 2008™.

Canon joins the official programme as a Global Event Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008™ and will showcase its latest business solutions technology in a selection of media centres at the final tournament. Canon will also provide camera and lens maintenance service and loan depots at media centres inside the stadiums for professional photographers.

Commenting on the announcement UEFA General Secretary, David Taylor, said:

"Canon has a long history of partnership with football and in particular with the UEFA European Football Championships™. We are therefore delighted that they have now joined forces with UEFA for the staging of UEFA EURO 2008™ in Austria and Switzerland, and are looking forward to working together."

Hajime Tsuruoka, President and CEO of Canon Europe, said:

"Football is a highly visual and empowering sport and we are delighted to extend our long term association with football by strengthening our partnership with UEFA.

"The UEFA EURO 2008™ final tournament provides us with another wonderful opportunity to reach out across national and cultural boundaries to promote Canon products via the most popular sport in the world. Canon's support for this exciting competition underscores our commitment to football and to the many millions of fans who celebrate the game around the globe."

The list of ten blue-chip official partners with worldwide rights for UEFA EURO 2008™ includes; adidas, Canon, Carlsberg, Castrol, Coca-Cola, Continental, JVC, Hyundai-Kia, MasterCard, and McDonald's.

Note to editors:
UEFA EURO 2008™ has four official Event Sponsors with global rights to UEFA EURO 2008™. The four Event Sponsors will join the existing six UEFA EUROTOP partners who, as well as global rights to UEFA EURO 2008™, also support UEFA's other Professional National Team Competitions – namely the UEFA Under-21 Championships, UEFA Futsal Championships and UEFA Women's Championships.

UEFA is investing some €316 million into European football through its 2004-08 HatTrick Programme. This money, generated from the centralised marketing of UEFA EURO 2004™, is helping to fund educational projects, infrastructure and mini-pitches for UEFA's 53 member associations.