Changan Automobile Announces Global Strategic Partnership with the Portugal National Football Team

26.5.2026 08:54:36 CEST | news aktuell GmbH | Press release

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  • "Stay in the Game" – A Shared Commitment to Excellence, Innovation, and Endurance.
From left to right: Li Guoliang (GM of Brand & PR, Changan Automobile), Yin Yi (Head of Changan Europe), Ricardo Quaresma (Euro 2016 winner, former Portugal international), Vítor Baía, (former Portugal international goalkeeper), Mi Mengdong (VP, Changan Automobile), Li Yong (Economic & Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Portugal). Changan hands over a S05 PHEV to the Portuguese Football Federation, making the Federation the first in Europe to drive the model.
From left to right: Li Guoliang (GM of Brand & PR, Changan Automobile), Yin Yi (Head of Changan Europe), Ricardo Quaresma (Euro 2016 winner, former Portugal international), Vítor Baía, (former Portugal international goalkeeper), Mi Mengdong (VP, Changan Automobile), Li Yong (Economic & Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Portugal). Changan hands over a S05 PHEV to the Portuguese Football Federation, making the Federation the first in Europe to drive the model.

Lisbon, 22 May 2026 – Changan Automobile today announced a global strategic partnership with the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), becoming the Official Global Partner of the Portugal National Football Team. The announcement ceremony took place at Cidade do Futebol, the heart of Portuguese football, marking a significant milestone in Changan’s long term commitment to the European market.

The event featured senior representatives from Changan and the FPF, alongside renowned Portuguese football legends. Highlights included the unveiling of the brand collaboration film “Sounds Like Changan”, the ceremonial handover of the DEEPAL S05 Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) to FPF leadership, and the official launch of a 1,000km European test drive program.

This collaboration goes beyond traditional sponsorship. It reflects a deep alignment of values – resilience, excellence, and long-termism. Both Changan Automobile and the FPF embody the philosophy of “Stay in the Game:” maintaining focus, consistency, and determination through every challenge.

“In football, staying ‘in the game’ means total commitment – to every tackle, every second of concentration, and every precise pass”, said Mi Mengdong, Vice President of Changan Automobile “For Changan, it means continuous investment, relentless innovation, and standing firmly with our users. The Portuguese team has spent a century defining resilience. Changan has spent 45 years proving the power of long-termism. This is not sponsorship – it is true resonance.”

The ceremony included a symbolic kick-off performed by Changan executives and legendary Portuguese football players, officially launching the partnership.

Following the ceremony, participants jointly waved the departure flag, marking the start of Changan’s long-distance European test drive initiative. The route will span from Lisbon to Madrid to Turin, showcasing Changan’s PHEV capabilities through real-world testing across diverse road and climate conditions, including verification of the 1000 km+ range.

Known as “The Team of the Quinas” (the crest of the Team features the five blue shields (quinas) from the Portuguese coat of arms), the Portugal National Football Team is one of the most recognized teams in global football, with a fanbase exceeding 500 million supporters worldwide.

“This partnership with Changan Automobile reflects the growing international relevance of Portuguese football and the values that define our Federation: ambition, innovation, resilience, and excellence. We are proud to join forces with a global brand that shares our long-term vision and commitment to continuous development, both on and off the pitch.” FPF Commercial says.

As Changan Automobile accelerates its global expansion under the Vast Ocean Plan, Europe stands as a strategic priority. The collaboration with the FPF will support localized product planning and brand engagement across the region.

The focus centers on Changan’s advanced New Energy Vehicle (NEV) lineup—including the CHANGAN NEVO Q05, CHANGAN DEEPAL models (S05/S07), and the premium intelligent AVATR vehicles (the Luxury SUV AVATR 11 and Futuristic Luxury Gran Coupe AVATR 12)—seamlessly bringing cutting-edge automotive innovation to Europe’s passionate football community.

 

About the Portuguese Football Federation

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) is the governing body of football in Portugal, responsible for organizing and developing the sport at all levels, including national teams and domestic competitions.

About Changan

Changan, one of China's largest automotive groups, has 45 years of experience in automobile manufacturing and is headquartered in Chongqing. Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, Ltd (Shenzhen Stock Exchange: SZSE 000625) operates 14 manufacturing bases and 40 plants worldwide, 79 branches and subsidiaries, sales and service networks in 118 countries and regions, and more than 14,000 global sales outlets. It employs over 80,000 people directly and supports more than one million jobs across its entire value chain. Changan’s portfolio includes its own brands, such as Changan and Avatr, alongside joint ventures like Changan Ford and Changan Mazda. Since 2001, Changan has strengthened its European presence with a design centre in Turin and a research and development centre in Birmingham. Changan surpassed 30 million units in cumulative production and sales in December 2025. With the launch of its vehicles in Europe, Changan marked a new chapter in its international expansion in 2025.

 

https://www.changaneurope.com/uk

 

Press contact:

Melanie King

Head of PR, Changan UK

melanie.king@changanuk.com

Press contact PR agency:

Woosah

Phil Borge-Slavnich / Susie Dullard

changan@woosah.uk

Changan press kit:

Changan UK Newsroom

Images

From left to right: Li Guoliang (GM of Brand & PR, Changan Automobile), Yin Yi (Head of Changan Europe), Ricardo Quaresma (Euro 2016 winner, former Portugal international), Vítor Baía, (former Portugal international goalkeeper), Mi Mengdong (VP, Changan Automobile), Li Yong (Economic & Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Portugal). Changan hands over a S05 PHEV to the Portuguese Football Federation, making the Federation the first in Europe to drive the model.
From left to right: Li Guoliang (GM of Brand & PR, Changan Automobile), Yin Yi (Head of Changan Europe), Ricardo Quaresma (Euro 2016 winner, former Portugal international), Vítor Baía, (former Portugal international goalkeeper), Mi Mengdong (VP, Changan Automobile), Li Yong (Economic & Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Portugal). Changan hands over a S05 PHEV to the Portuguese Football Federation, making the Federation the first in Europe to drive the model.
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From left to right: João Meidros Cardoso (GM, FPF Commercial) receives a Deepal S05 scale model from Mi Mengdong (VP, Changan Automobile), who is presented with a Portugal jersey bearing the Changan name - marking the launch of the official global partnership between the FPF and Changan under the 'Stay in the Game' campaign.
From left to right: João Meidros Cardoso (GM, FPF Commercial) receives a Deepal S05 scale model from Mi Mengdong (VP, Changan Automobile), who is presented with a Portugal jersey bearing the Changan name - marking the launch of the official global partnership between the FPF and Changan under the 'Stay in the Game' campaign.
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The Deepal S05 on display at the official announcement of Changan's global partnership with the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) in Lisbon.
The Deepal S05 on display at the official announcement of Changan's global partnership with the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) in Lisbon.
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About news aktuell GmbH

news aktuell, a subsidiary of the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa), provides companies, institutions and associations with effective access to both the media and consumers and supports the organizations in telling their stories easily and successfully. Utilizing the digital tools “ots” and “zimpel” PR content reaches all media formats, including classic print titles, wide-reach online portals or social networks. In addition, news aktuell publishes all of its clients' PR content on www.presseportal.de, one of Germany's widest-reaching PR portals. Thus, all relevant multipliers are reached worldwide, ranging from editors and digital influencers to specialist bloggers and interested consumers. Communications specialists from all over Germany rely on the expertise of the dpa subsidiary. news aktuell has been on the market since 1989 and employs over 135 people. The company is based in Hamburg. Further locations include Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.

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