MUMBAI: Soccer?s governing body Fifa has secured TV rights deals worth $1.85 billion for the period 2015-2022.

Fifa has awarded the sales representation for selected territories in Asia to Infront Sports and Media following an
international tender process. The territories comprise India,
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China PR, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The rights for the 2015 to 2022 period include the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia and the 2022 Fifa World Cup Qatar, the Fifa Women?s World Cup Canada 2015 and the Fifa Women?s World Cup 2019, as well as other Fifa events.

Fifa?s executive committee has decided on further sales and
distribution of media rights for the same period in the following territories:

? Australia -- extending with SBS

? Canada -- rights awarded to Bell Media (CTV/TSN/RDS)

? Caribbean -- extending with IMC (SportsMax)

Fifa secretary general J?r?me Valcke said, ?Fifa is delighted with the progress of our media rights sales to date which, coming amid austere economic times, more than confirm the strength and appeal of our competitions."

MUMBAI: Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver will be speaking on the ?Football Brands, the World? panel at the Soccerex global convention taking place in Rio de Janeiro, from 26-30 November.

Biver will be joining Fifa?s Director of Marketing Thierry Weil on the panel which explores the use of football by international companies as a platform for brand leverage.

Since joining Hublot in 2004, Biver has moved to increase the public profile of their brand awareness in a number of high profile sponsorship deals. In 2008, they agreed a deal with Manchester United. That same year they became the first luxury brand to enter football at the European level, as timekeeper of the Euro 2008 which resulted in them becoming the official time keeper of t he 2010 Fifa World Cup and the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie said, "To have Jean-Claude speak on the brands panel just adds to the quality of the session. The work he has done at Hublot has resulted in industry acclaim and it is great to have his knowledge on the subject especially when his strategy for brand growth has been so successful over the years."

Biver said, "Soccerex is a perfect platform to share our precursor views as a luxury brand in the world of football. The quality of the attendance will definitively enhance the experience, and the fact that the conference takes place in Rio, host city of the Fifa World Cup 2014 makes this rendez-vous very special."

The panel will focus on why brands consider football as a winning portal into domestic and international markets and break down the fundamental benefits of using football as a platform to connect with consumers. Speakers on the panel will draw on relevant case studies to endorse their argument.

?Football Brands, the World? is one session that makes up the
conference line up at this year?s Soccerex Global Convention.

Other topics that will be discussed include the 2014 Fifa World Cup, stadia, sustainability, performance, social media, commercial success, plus exclusive sessions with some of the footballs biggest stars past and present.

As well as this conference schedule, the Soccerex Global Convention will consist of an exhibition and networking events taking place in the Forte de Copacabana plus a two-day Football Festival taking place on the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.