SINGAPORE, April 11, 2023 /THETECHMUSK=TTM/ — Visa (NYSE: V), the Exclusive Payment Service Partner of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, joined 100 days to go celebrations today to unveil the 31 women football players it is supporting through its Team Visa program. This new group of Team Visa athletes – from 27 markets – represents the largest number of women footballers in Team Visa’s history. The program extends Visa’s commitment to connecting the world through sport and championing women athletes at a time when women’s football continues to reach new heights.
“We’ve witnessed historic shifts for equity and equality in football in recent years, and Visa is committed to providing these resilient women with the tools and resources necessary to continue working for a level playing field,” said Andrea Fairchild, senior vice president and head of sponsorships, Visa. “We are proud to welcome this incredible group of athletes into our Team Visa family. We look forward to seeing them unlock their greatest potential.”
Athlete Spotlights from Around the World
The footballers on Team Visa are helping change the game, on and off the pitch.
- On the pitch, players such as Ellie Carpenter (Australia), Debinha (Brazil), Christine Sinclair (Canada), and Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco) have each made historic strides for the game, earning various awards, “firsts” and international records.
- Off the pitch, Team Visa athletes are blazing their own trails: Miriam Mayorga (Argentina) does double duty as a doctor; Sam Mewis’ (USA) leadership led to securing equal pay for her team; Huynh Nhu (Vietnam) broke down barriers as the first Vietnamese footballer to play abroad; and Didem Karagenc (Turkey) is a physical education teacher starting a grassroots football camp for local girls.
Team Visa footballers from Asia Pacific include Claudia Bunge (New Zealand), Ellie Carpenter (Australia), Mana Iwabuchi (Japan), Nhu Huynh (Vietnam), Cho So-hyun (South Korea), Shanshan Wang and Haiyan Wu (China).
“Women’s football isn’t just about scoring goals, it’s about breaking down barriers. Our latest research in Asia Pacific[1] shows that sports provides a platform for women to build essential soft skills such as teamwork, adaptability and discipline – skills that are crucial in both the sports arena and in the business world,” said Danielle Jin, senior vice-president, marketing, Visa AP. “We are proud to support the talented team of women footballers in Asia Pacific. We hope to encourage more women to pursue both their athletic and entrepreneurial aspirations.”
Team Visa: A Platform to Inspire
Since 2000, Team Visa has lent crucial support to more than 500 athletes around the globe providing them with a platform to tell their inspiring stories. To help athletes thrive personally and professionally, the program provides financial support, assistance with philanthropic endeavors, financial literacy tools, and mental health and wellness resources. Team Visa athletes are selected for the program based on their personal journeys, athletic achievements, community involvement, and alignment with Visa’s core values of equality, access, and inclusion.
Supporting Women Footballers Year-Round
For more than 15 years, Visa’s investment in women’s football has focused on increasing visibility for the sport at all levels, driving acceptance, and future-proofing the game. Visa is the first FIFA Women’s Football Partner, first partner for UEFA Women’s Football, and sponsor of national teams including the U.S. Soccer Federation and Mexican Football Federation. Off the pitch, The Second Half is a career development program to support European women footballers as they consider careers beyond football.
As attention turns toward Australia and New Zealand this July, Visa will cheer on its Team Visa athletes participating in the tournament, present the fan-voted Visa Player of the Match trophy at each match, and implement innovative payment experiences throughout official venues.
To learn more about Visa’s support of athletes and plans surrounding FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ visit here.
Full list of Team Visa women footballers: Miriam Mayorga (Argentina), Ellie Carpenter (Australia), Debinha (Brazil), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Ashley Lawrence (Canada), Shanshan Wang (China), Haiyan Wu (China), Daniela Montoya (Colombia), Shirley Cruz (Costa Rica), Katerina Svitkova (Czech Republic), Eugenie Le Sommer (France), Lea Schüller (Germany), Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir (Iceland), Laura Giuliani (Italy), Mana Iwabuchi (Japan), Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco), Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco), Claudia Bunge (New Zealand), Inna Palacios (Philippines), Marta Cox (Panama), Ewa Pajor (Poland), Megan Campbell (Republic of Ireland), Camelia Ceasar (Romania), Cho So-hyun (South Korea), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden), Ramona Bachmann (Switzerland), Didem Karagenc (Turkey), Huynh Nhu (Vietnam), Fran Kirby (England), Lauren James (England), Catarina Macario (United States of America), Mallory Swanson (United States of America) and Sam Mewis (United States of America).
