Visa boasts a substantial sponsorship portfolio that spans 17 different sports. Within its sports sponsorship portfolio, the company has established high-value partnerships with prominent organizations such as FIFA, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the National Football League (NFL). One of Visa’s most significant partnerships is with the IOC, which has been in place since 1986 and is slated to continue through 2032. In terms of both deal volume and annual spend, Visa is currently the top brand in sports sponsorship in the payments sector, reveals GlobalData , a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest report, “Sponsorship Sector Report – Financial Services – Payments 2025”, reveals that soccer commands a significant presence in the payments sector, both in terms of annual spend and deal volume. The largest deal in terms of annual value across the payments sector in 2025 is UEFA’s partnership with Mastercard.
Olivia Snooks, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Visa has also forged significant partnerships with various soccer federations worldwide, including the Asian Football Federation, Mexican Football Federation, Confederation of African Football, Canadian Soccer Association, Portuguese Football Federation, and Canadian Soccer Association.”
The ‘Big Four’ sports leagues in the US—namely the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), and the NFL—maintain significant partnerships within the payments sector. As of March 2025, MLB has forged partnerships with both Mastercard and Capital One. The most significant in terms of annual value is with Mastercard, perpetuating a longstanding relationship that commenced in 1997. The deal is worth an estimated $30 million annually.
Snooks continues: “These strategic alliances offer considerable commercial opportunities for brands aiming to boost their visibility across diverse audiences. Notably, the National Hockey League is the only league among the ‘Big Four’ that does not hold a payments sector deal ranked within the top ten in terms of value.”
Concerning the annual value of deals completed in the payments sector, there has been a general uptrend between 2017 and 2024, despite minor declines in 2019 and 2023. Notably, there was a substantial surge exceeding $170 million from 2023 to 2024; this is despite fewer deals signed between the two years. In terms of deal volume, the year 2023 experienced a resurgence in deal volume, while 2024 witnessed a slight downturn.
Snooks concludes: “Despite the reduced number of deals in 2024, there was a marked rise in the annual deal value. This suggests that the average value of individual deals signed within the payments sector is on an upward trajectory. Major payments brands, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, have all seen an increase in annual deal value compared to 2024; this reinforces the conclusion that the average annual value of deals across the payments sector is increasing.”
