Mastercard and Lionel Messi unveil "Giving Back" to kick off CONMEBOL Copa América USA 2024

• All 14 stadiums during CONMEBOL Copa América will be completely contactless and cashless, thanks to Mastercard, bringing fans back to the game faster and more secure.
• Mastercard cardholders will be able to book a number of Priceless Experiences throughout the tournament on priceless.com.

The CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 is set to begin in the U.S., uniting fans from around the world. This marks Mastercard’s 30th year sponsoring the tournament, bringing people closer to the game they love.

To kick off the tournament, Mastercard launched its latest video, “Giving Back,” with Lionel Messi, the Argentinian football legend and a brand ambassador since 2018. Inspired by a real-life experience, Messi is seen attempting to use his Mastercard at several small businesses, but each store owner refuses to accept his payment, as a gesture of respect and to give back to him after all he’s done for football fans.

“Mastercard and I share a belief in the importance of bringing people closer to their passions, and connecting them to what brings them joy, because that’s priceless,” said Lionel Messi. “Just like in this campaign, we are always seeking ways to give back the support we receive.”

“Football has such a profound impact on communities around the world, both on and off the field, and by having one of the greatest footballers of all time living through seamless payment experiences while giving back to his fans we hope to show how Mastercard uplifts both communities and small businesses, ultimately powering economies,” said Carlos Quintero, EVP of Integrated Marketing and Communications for Mastercard’s Latin America and the Caribbean region. “Our sponsorship of CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 also provides an opportunity to show how we’re bringing to life new technology solutions that make it easier, faster and safer to pay for everyday purchases on and offline.”   

The ad features three key Mastercard payment solutions including:

• Tap on Phone: A turnkey, cost-effective solution that allows businesses to accept payments from any contactless card or mobile wallet right from their NFC-enabled device. With no extra hardware required, businesses can take advantage of this on-the-go solution to enable quick and convenient payment options.
• Click to Pay: Click to Pay is an online checkout solution that allows consumers to pay securely from any device. Designed to be customized and integrated into your existing checkout, Click to Pay provides a low-effort adoption with a high return on investment.
• Mastercard Contactless: Contactless technology lets users make everyday purchases quickly and safely with just a tap of your contactless-enabled card or device (mobile or tablet) —wherever you see the universal contactless symbol. During the tournament, all 14 stadiums will be contactless and cashless.

Mastercard is committed to continuing its support of football worldwide. It is a proud sponsor of the most prestigious club tournaments, including UEFA Champions League, CONMEBOL Libertadores and CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina, and teams including Arsenal W.F.C and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. During the tournament, Mastercard cardholders will be able to book a number of Priceless Experiences on priceless.com, from dining with a South American soccer legend to giving a young footballer the chance to walk onto the pitch.