VOLKSWAGEN CANADA RE-SIGNS WITH CANADIAN PREMIER LEAGUE
Founding Partner renews commitment to CPL for five years ahead of League’s fifth season
Toronto, ON – (April 13, 2023) – The Canadian Premier League (CPL) today announced it will continue its longstanding partnership with Volkswagen Canada through 2028, adding five years to a relationship that has already spanned all five of the League’s seasons.
Volkswagen Canada was initially announced as a Founding Partner of the CPL in January 2019, months ahead of the League’s inaugural campaign.
This season, the Volkswagen logo will once again feature prominently within the League, with Volkswagen Canada the front of jersey sponsor for Halifax Wanderers FC. Volkswagen Canada will once again be a leading partner in the CPL’s Pride celebrations, continuing its commitment to promoting inclusivity within sport.
The world-renowned Volkswagen brand has long been an avid supporter and investor in the global game of soccer. That is no different on Canadian soil, where Volkswagen Canada has become synonymous with the CPL, developing a strong relationship with the country’s growing community of passionate soccer supporters through meaningful and impactful activations in each of the League’s markets and stadiums from coast to coast, as well as on League broadcasts and through social media channels.
“Volkswagen Canada is a true partner in every sense of the word,” said Mark Noonan, Commissioner, Canadian Premier League, and CEO, Canadian Soccer Business, “They were with us at the beginning, believing in what was possible, and we are excited that this extension means we will continue our relationship through the League’s first decade of existence.
“In the first five years of our partnership, Volkswagen has done a wonderful job activating to the benefit of our supporters and the communities we serve. We look forward to continuing, and building on, this important relationship for CPL and everyone who cares about soccer in Canada.”
Volkswagen Canada’s commitment to changing the world for the better through its Be the Change campaign has resonated with CPL fans through various forms of outreach over its five years as a Founding Partner.
In 2022 alone, Volkswagen Canada partnered with the Wanderers, Cavalry FC, and Pacific FC as the presenting sponsor of the clubs’ Pride matches, supporting the LGBTQ+ community through different initiatives and activities on game day as well as by donating funds to local charities in each market that are committed to supporting diverse communities through education, resources, and advocacy.
Through its Volkswagen FC: Game Changers program, Volkswagen Canada highlighted some of the country’s most influential soccer leaders, celebrating 11 Canadians who embody the commitment to Be the Change by positively impacting their communities through the beautiful game. Volkswagen Canada isn’t just asking Canadians to Be the Change; the organization is also pushing for change within its own walls. Volkswagen Canada is striving to reduce its own carbon footprint, helping to electrify Canadian roadways, and bringing new, accessible and exciting all-electric vehicles to market.
Volkswagen Canada also brought joy to Canadian soccer fans from coast-to-coast and over social media in 2022 by bringing a darling of the global game, Tiny Football Car, to each CPL market. The 1:5 scale model of the ID.4, Volkswagen’s first all-electric compact SUV, delighted fans of all ages as he added the CPL to a growing list of competitions where he has now performed the important duty of delivering the game ball to midfield ahead of kickoff, including at UEFA Euro 2020 and UEFA Nations League contests.
“Soccer is a rapidly growing sport in Canada, and we are honoured to support the Canadian Premier League’s vision to bring the beautiful game to even more Canadians from coast-to-coast,” said Lynne Piette, Director of Marketing, Volkswagen Canada.
“Our renewed partnership highlights the passion that fans, clubs, players, and communities have brought to the league in the past five years. The league’s values of bringing equality, diversity, and sustainability to the game are fundamental pillars we will continue to foster through our partnership moving forward. We plan to do this through ongoing initiatives like Volkswagen FC: Game Changers, Pride matches, and other exciting campaigns we have in the pipeline. We are truly excited to see another five years of soccer in Volkswagen Canada’s future and we are proud partners of the league.”
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About Volkswagen Canada
Founded in 1952, Volkswagen Canada is headquartered in Ajax, Ontario. It is the largest volume European automotive nameplate in Canada, and sells the Golf GTI, Golf R, Jetta, I.D. 4, Taos, Tiguan, Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport through 145 independent Canadian Dealers. It forms part of Volkswagen Group Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany.
Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and is Europe’s largest automaker.
Visit Volkswagen Canada online at www.VW.ca
About Canadian Premier League
The Canadian Premier League (CPL), Canada’s Tier 1 domestic men’s soccer league, is committed to its mission of providing opportunities for Canadian players to showcase their abilities on home soil and to gain prominence on the global soccer scene. A link between the amateur and professional games in the country, the CPL develops homegrown talent in support of the growth of Canadian soccer domestically and internationally. The CPL is proud to bring high-quality, professional soccer to communities from coast to coast, partnering with strong ownership groups, world-class corporate partners and passionate supporters to build a league Canadians can proudly support on and off the field. The CPL, which enters its milestone fifth season in 2023, plays in Concacaf and FIFA sanctioned competitions. For more updates and information, please visit CanPL.ca
About Canadian Soccer Business
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central to the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships and media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the Men’s National Team, the Olympic Champion Women’s National Team, the Canadian Championship, along with all rights associated with the Canadian Premier League and League1 Canada.
For more information, please contact:
Laura Armstrong
Senior Director, Communications
Canadian Premier League