Tsingtao signed a Memorandum of Understanding ahead of completing a three-year sponsorship deal to support the Asian Football Confederation's club programme in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday as the brewer becomes the first Chinese company to support the continental body commercially.

The agreement between the AFC and China's most famous brewery will commence at the start of 2014 and follows the success of Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande in the 2013 AFC Champions League, the final of which was the most-watched sporting event on Chinese television over the last 12 months.

"We are delighted to welcome Tsingtao to the Asian football family as they become the latest elite brand to join our group of highly valued commercial partners," said AFC General Secretary, Dato' Alex Soosay.

"The professionalism and exposure of our club competitions have been improving year-on-year and there is a lot to be gained by being associated with the club game in Asia.

"We are sure the relationship between the AFC and Tsingtao will be mutually beneficial and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship."

As well as supporting the AFC Champions League, Tsingtao's association with club football in Asia will also see them backing the AFC Cup, the AFC President's Cup and the AFC Futsal Club Championship.

"Today we join hands with Tsingtao Brewery and the AFC. Today marks another milestone of our sports marketing strategy as the first Chinese brand to be a partner of AFC," said Wang Ruiyong, Tsingtao Brewery Vice President and Marketing President.

"I believe Tsingtao beer's global brand influence can, through intensive promotional activities, promote the AFC Champions League internationally.

"We chose to sponsor AFC because they have the best football matches. We also recognise Guangzhou's success in the AFC Champions League and celebrate this."

More than 30 million people watched the second leg of the 2013 AFC Champions League final on Chinese television, the highest viewing figures in the competition's history and a further signal of the continuing growth of the continent's leading club competition.

"This is a historic milestone for the AFC and its commercial partners, and we are all very excited," said Nick Mould, President, East Asia, World Sport Group, who are the exclusive marketing partner of the AFC.

"Guangzhou's success in the AFC Champions League led to record TV viewing figures and a total attendance figure totalling over 110,000 across both legs of the final and it is important to build on this to ensure significant value for our commercial partners.

"The AFC Champions League continues to go from strength-to-strength and this agreement highlights the impressive growth in the competition."

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