The Portuguese Football Federation has awarded Wanda Sports, an arm of Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group, rights to develop sponsorship business for the Portuguese national team that will compete in the men’s football World Cup next year, Wanda Group says.

Wanda Sports has the rights to develop such business in mainland China, Taiwan, Macao and Hong Kong, Wanda Group announced in writing.

The World Cup will be held in Qatar in November and December next year.

Wanda Group says the World Cup will be the most-watched international sporting event next year, and that Portugal is among the favourites to win it. Wanda Group has a deal which makes it the top-tier sponsor of the World Cup tournaments in 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030, the company announcement says.