The central governing body for world football, FIFA has inked a sponsorship association with the Swiss watch brand, Hublot.
Following the partnership, the luxury watchmaker has been named the official timekeeper of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, which is being played in Australia and New Zealand in July. After serving in that capacity in 2015 and 2019, Hublot will once again act as the FIFA Women’s World Cup’s official timekeeper.
All 64 games will run on Hublot time, and the LED boards and fourth official boards will both have the Hublot logo. The Hublot Big Bang e, a powerful luxury smartwatch with modern components and cutting-edge technology, will be given to all 107 match officials throughout the competition.
Moreover, these watches will contain additional features for officials to assist them with a variety of tasks, such as keeping track of yellow and red cards, adding extra time at the end of the game, etc.
Ada Hegerberg of Norway, the first woman to win the Ballon d’Or in 2018, Alexia Putellas of Spain, who won the Ballon d’Or twice, and Alex Morgan of the United States, who will play for the team that won the previous two FIFA Women’s World Cups, are just a few of the Hublot brand ambassadors or “Hublot Friends of the Brand” who will compete in the Women’s World Cup.
Ricardo Guadalup, CEO, Hublot, said, “This is the most exciting season in women’s football – the build-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup! It brings everyone at Hublot enormous pride to be serving as the tournament’s Official Timekeeper. Hublot will keep track of every minute of every match, feeling every breath, sensing every moment, from first to final whistle. As ever, in the spirit of being first, different and unique, Hublot was the first luxury Swiss watch company to enter football and we continue to throw ourselves into developing it, particularly the women’s game.
“It will bring us great joy to see refereeing officials using the Hublot Big Bang e in every match, and we wish them, our partners at FIFA and every competitor the very best of luck for the tournament, particularly our incredible Hublot Friends of the Brand, Ada Hegerberg, Alexia Putellas and defending champion Alex Morgan. Hublot loves football!”
Ada Hegerberg, Norway International and Hublot friend, said, “We’re hugely excited about this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, the biggest in the tournament’s history. Before a major tournament, my mantra comes into sharp focus: ‘Believe in Yourself’. For Norway to go deep in this year’s tournament, we’ll have to believe in ourselves and perform at our best as individuals and as a team. In football, every second counts and you have to be switched on from the moment that whistle blows, until the clock hits 90 minutes. Going to the tournament as a Hublot Friend of the Brand is a real thrill and I’m looking forward to seeing the Hublot name on the fourth official’s boards during matches.”
Alex Putellas, Spanish International and Hublot friend, said, “The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be the most spectacular expression of the beautiful game and I’m extremely excited to take to the international stage and represent my country. Spain’s performance has been continuously increasing, our success in the UWCL this season gave us a lot of confidence and we’re expecting great things to come in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023! It’s a privilege to go to the tournament as a Hublot Friend of the Brand– I’m very grateful to Hublot for its continued support as we look to grow women’s football!”
Alex Morgan, USA International and Hublot friend, said, “Women’s football has come so far and it’s growing faster than ever. This wouldn’t be possible without our fans, supporters and partners who have stood with us every step of the way. I’m super excited to see Hublot return as the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 official timekeeper and to be heading to the tournament as a Hublot Friend of the Brand. Hublot loves football – and we love Hublot!”
Stephanie Frappart, FIFA Women’s World Cup Referee and Hublot friend, said, “The world will be watching when the whistle blows to kick off the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 this summer, and it’s vital that my fellow officials and I have the best tools and equipment at hand to deliver the best on-field experience possible. Hublot’s support of women’s football means so much to us, particularly in light of the Big Bang e connected watch, which we have come to rely on heavily during elite-level matches. It gives us huge confidence to know that at this year’s tournament we will have a high-performance, highly reliable device on our wrists during a match. Thank you Hublot!”