Pursuits

Emirates Spent Millions to Get Its Flight Attendants on the World Cup Pitch

The World Cup trophy is presented during he award ceremony after the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final match between Germany and Argentina at Maracana on July 13 in Rio de JaneiroPhotograph by Friedemann Vogel/FIFA via Getty Images

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By Justin Bachman

July 14, 2014 at 5:45 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Anyone jarred by the sight of uniformed flight attendants distributing the hardware to the World Cup-winning Germans probably never realized how central sports has become to the marketing strategy of Emirates Airline. From horse racing to cricket to pro tennis, Emirates has spent lavishly on becoming one of the world’s biggest sponsors of sports.

Spending on soccer—with the global spectacle that is the FIFA World Cup every four years—dwarfs all other sports. The Dubai-based airline sponsors a half-dozen European clubs, including Arsenal, AC Milan, and Real Madrid. “Emirates has arguably become one of the most prominent brands within football,” the company says. The airline flies to all but 10 of the 32 countries in the World Cup.