Alipay+ Launches Football Carnival Across Asia in Global Campaign for UEFA EURO 2024™

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 26, 2024--

Alipay+, the cross-border mobile payment and digitalization technology solutions under Ant International, is launching an offline football carnival across Asia as part of Ant International’s global campaign for UEFA EURO 2024.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240425248359/en/

The festivities, which will start from April 26 and last two months across four major cities in Asia, featuring pop-up booths with display of a replica of the Henri Delaunay trophy, EURO 2024 souvenirs, and activities such as goal shooting challenge, is designed to engage the Asian fan base and provide them chances to win EURO 2024 tickets.

Pop-up booths will be installed in Bangkok, Thailand from April 26 to May 7 at the renowned shopping mall Centralworld, from April 28 to May 11 at Ion of Singapore, from May 3 to May 26 at Sunway Velocity in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and from June 6 to June 26 at Hyundai Mall in Seoul, South Korea.

Travelers to the four countries making payments with their home e-wallets via Alipay+, or local users of one of the Alipay+ partner wallets, may participate in the challenge after making an eligible transaction to win limited edition of official merchandises of UEFA EURO 2024 and tickets to the tournaments including to the finals.

The users of 15 Alipay+ partner e-wallets and banking apps may participate in the campaign, including Alipay (Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), MPay (Macao SAR, China), MyPB by Public Bank and Touch ’n Go eWallet (Malaysia), GCash, and Hello Money by AUB (The Philippines), Hipay (Mongolia), OCBC Digital, and Changi Pay (Singapore), Kakao Pay, Toss Pay and Naver Pay (South Korea), TrueMoney (Thailand), and Tinaba (Italy).

As an Official Partner of the UEFA EURO 2024, the 17th edition of the international football championship organized by Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Ant International kicked off a global campaign, dubbed “Goal Beyond” across its businesses – Alipay+, Antom and WorldFirst – in March to engage and celebrate with fans globally in the lead-up to one of the biggest sporting events of the year. Alipay+ is the exclusive Official Payments Partner of UEFA EURO 2024.

UEFA EURO 2024 will take place from 14 June – 14 July 2024, in ten host cities around Germany, culminating in the finals at the historic Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Operating across 57 markets, Alipay+ now connects over 88 million global merchants cross-border to 1.5 billion accounts on over 25 leading e-wallets and payment apps. International travelers may pay online and offline with their home payment apps around the world with ease and security. Merchants utilize Alipay+ digital marketing and growth tools to build more effective consumer engagement at home and abroad.

Alipay+ has also launched an in-app UEFA EURO 2024 fan zone exclusively for users of AlipayHK, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, TrueMoney, GCash and DANA. Other than themed quizzes and global merchant vouchers, more fan engagement activities such as interactive football-themed mini games will also be introduced. Users can access the Alipay+-powered fan zone directly within these participating apps.

The in-app campaign is set from March till July, Alipay+ and its partner e-wallets will introduce a series of contest and games, where users stand a chance to win additional vouchers and even tickets to UEFA EURO 2024.

About Alipay+

Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border mobile payment and digitalization technology solutions that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payment and a broad choice of deals using their preferred payment methods while travelling abroad. Small and medium-sized businesses may use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth.

About Ant International

Headquartered in Singapore, Ant International powers the future of global commerce with digital innovation for everyone and every business to thrive. In close collaboration with partners, we support merchants of all sizes worldwide to realize their growth aspirations through a comprehensive range of tech-driven digital payment and financial services solutions.

A pop-up booth in Bangkok's Centralworld shopping mall to engage football fans. Alipay+ is launching an offline football carnival across Asia as part of Ant International’s global campaign for UEFA EURO 2024. (Photo: Business Wire)

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia's attorney general says city officials in Savannah overstepped their authority by making it illegal to leave firearms in unlocked cars.

Savannah's mayor and city council in April enacted the new city ordinance aimed at making it harder for criminals to steal guns, citing local police statistics showing more than 200 guns reported stolen last year from vehicles that weren't locked. The law carries maximum penalties of a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail.

State Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, said in a letter to Savannah officials Friday that the gun ordinance runs afoul of a state law that prohibits local governments from regulating “the possession, ownership, transport, (or) carrying” of firearms.

"Because the General Assembly has expressly designated the regulation of firearms as an issue of general, state-wide concern, no local ordinance can regulate firearms,” Carr wrote.

Carr's letter foreshadows a likely court battle over whether city governments like Savannah's can impose gun safety measures that have received little support in a state legislature dominated by Republicans. A lawsuit filed in Chatham Count Superior Court last week by a man described as frequent visitor to Savannah asks a judge to halt enforcement of the city's gun ordinance.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said Monday that City Hall isn't budging. A Democrat and former police officer, Johnson supported the city's ordinance as a way to make gun owners act responsibly without infringing on their rights to own or carry firearms.

“We certainly encourage our citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights,” Johnson said in a statement Monday, “but this ordinance remains in effect and will continue to be enforced.”

Savannah's city council voted unanimously April 11 to require parked vehicles to be locked when guns are stored inside and to require people to report gun thefts to police within 24 hours. No one spoke against the ordinance during a public comment period at City Hall, where it was supported by members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

According to Savannah police, there were 244 guns reported stolen from vehicles last year and 203 of them were taken from unlocked cars. Police have reported a similar number so far this year, with 56 of 69 thefts coming from unlocked cars.

Before Savannah took action, gun control advocates earlier this year failed to persuade state lawmakers to adopt a $300 state income tax credit to pay for gun locks, gun safes and safety classes.

In his letter, Carr noted that Georgia courts have struck down prior gun restrictions imposed by local governments. He cited a 2007 ruling by the Georgia Court of Appeals that overturned a Coweta County ordinance prohibiting firearms at sports fields and other recreational facilities operated by the county.

Carr's letter warned city officials they could face civil liability for enforcing it.

“Given this concern alone, it appears that the City should give immediate consideration to rescinding its approval” of the gun ordinance, Carr said.

FILE - Savannah Mayor Van Johnson speaks during a new conference, March 11, 2020, in Savannah, Ga. Georgia's attorney general says city officials in Savannah overstepped their authority by making it illegal to leave firearms in unlocked cars. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum, File)

FILE - Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr speaks during a news conference, Sept. 5, 2023, at the Georgia Department of Public Safety in Atlanta. Georgia's attorney general says city officials in Savannah, Ga., overstepped their authority by making it illegal to leave firearms in unlocked cars. (Natrice Miller/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)