MUMBAI: Arsenal Football Club and Airtel Africa, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, have signed a three-year partnership which will provide the telco with opportunity to utilise the cub‘s merchandising, hospitality and content rights in five markets: Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Uganda and Rwanda.

Airtel customers in these markets will have the opportunity to win match tickets to watch this summer‘s pre-season tour fixture and receive exclusive club content and news direct to handsets.
 
The 2012 visit will feature a game between the Arsenal first-team and the Nigerian National Team the Super Eagles on 5 August.

Airtel is in the process of finalising arrangements that will give selected consumers in the five countries a chance to watch the match and interact with the team in Abuja.

In addition to the agreement, Airtel will be designated as the official mobile operator of the 2012 Arsenal Tour to Nigeria.
 
Arsenal will also support the Airtel Rising Stars football programme, an annual grassroots training initiative that offers young boys and girls the opportunity to play football and compete in a safe environment.

Airtel donates money for each goal scored at the tournament to support the players‘ education to ensure those involved don‘t only get best-in-class sports training and opportunities, but also have better opportunities to further their academic studies.

The Gunners will provide Uefa-trained coaches to assist with training in each of the five markets and at an Arsenal Coaching Clinic for up to 50 footballers in London.