Puma to Sponsor Iran in World Cup

German sportswear maker Puma signed a 2-year sponsorship deal with Iran's football federation on Wednesday that will cover the national team's appearance in next year's World Cup finals in Germany. Company and federation officials refused to reveal the value of the deal, which covers financial support and equipment supplies for one of Asia's top sides. Puma vice president Horst Widmann said his group would also be helping the Iranian side establish its training camp in Germany. Iran made their World Cup debut in Argentina in 1978, but failed to progress beyond the first round. Twenty years later they qualified for the World Cup in France, where they scored a memorable victory against the United States.