FIFA gets delay on MasterCard sponsorship ruling

MasterCard is not entitled to have immediate sponsorship rights to the next two World Cups, pending an appeal of a judge's ruling that MasterCard will sponsor the next two tournaments instead of rival Visa.

FIFA said a New York court ruled Friday that the organization can delay granting the deal to MasterCard. Such delays in implementing a judge's ruling are routine in cases under appeal.

FIFA requested the delay while appealing a Dec. 7 judgment by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska that ruled MasterCard was entitled to sponsor the next two World Cups despite Visa signing a deal with FIFA allowing it to receive the rights on Jan. 1.

The judge, in a 125-page ruling, said FIFA signed its deal with Visa even though MasterCard had a right of first refusal to sponsor the 2010 and 2014 events. After the ruling, FIFA fired four employees for dishonest sponsorship negotiations.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.