Economy
Chelsea And Ascott Celebrate Bringing The Famous CFC Fan Event To Singapore
Exhilarating weekend of activities at Chelsea’s flagship international fan engagement event, The Famous CFC, saw hundreds of passionate Chelsea fans and Ascott Star Rewards members interact with club legend Gianfranco Zola and celebrate the team’s continued run of impressive wins
LONDON, UK / SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 December 2024 – Chelsea Football Club, in collaboration with presenting partner The Ascott Limited (Ascott), brought The Blues to Singapore this past weekend, hosting the club’s first edition of The Famous CFC in Southeast Asia.
Held over the weekend of 30 November and 1 December, the Singapore edition of The Famous CFC brought together hundreds of passionate Chelsea fans to celebrate the club’s legacy and passion. Anchored at lyf Funan Singapore, with additional activities at The Robertson House by The Crest Collection and Ascott Orchard Singapore, the two-day festivities featured football coaching clinics, a watch party for Chelsea’s match against Aston Villa, and exclusive meet-and-greet opportunities with Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola. As Chelsea’s Official Global Hotels Partner and the presenting partner of The Famous CFC in Singapore, Ascott played a key role in bringing the event to life, showcasing its continued commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for Chelsea’s fans and Ascott Star Rewards members.
Gianfranco Zola said: “What a privilege it has been to be a part of The Famous CFC in Singapore! I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at The Robertson House by The Crest Collection, as well as my visits to lyf Funan Singapore and Ascott Orchard Singapore. It was a pleasure to meet so many of Chelsea’s passionate fans here. The enthusiasm and energy from them all has been amazing, and it is truly special to connect with so many supporters face-to-face. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to share unforgettable moments with them.”
He added “The weekend was capped off with a dominant performance from Chelsea against Aston Villa. I recently spent time with Cole Palmer and saw first-hand what an unbelievable talent he is. His goal and performance against Aston Villa was top quality and there is no doubt in my mind he has the tools to be one of the best players in the world in the near future. What a signing he has proven to be for Chelsea!”
Casper Stylsvig, Chelsea’s Chief Revenue Officer, said: “The Singapore edition of The Famous CFC was a tremendous success, and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to reconnect with our passionate fanbase in Southeast Asia, thanks to our friends at Ascott. It was truly inspiring to see the unwavering dedication of our supporters. We are very proud of our partnership with Ascott, and the experience we have delivered for both our fans and Ascott Star Rewards members.”
Tan Bee Leng, Chief Commercial Officer, Ascott, said: “As Chelsea’s Official Global Hotels Partner, Ascott is proud to continue providing the club’s supporters and Ascott Star Rewards members with exclusive and immersive experiences that go beyond just the stay. From football clinics conducted by Chelsea coaches and an intimate fireside chat with club legend Gianfranco Zola, to curated pre-match F&B hospitality and watching the Blues in action alongside Zola himself; every detail throughout The Famous CFC in Singapore reflects Ascott’s dedication to seamlessly blend hospitality, entertainment and sports to deliver an unforgettable event, reinforcing our commitment to ensure guests ‘Stay Rewarded’ with exceptional experiences. Building on this momentum, Ascott is excited to already be working on bringing The Famous CFC to other cities in 2025, further strengthening our connection with Chelsea’s global fanbase. We look forward to creating more extraordinary experiences for fans and Ascott Star Rewards members worldwide, to live their unlimited passion for the club they love.”
“Ascott is also looking forward to the rebranding of the two stadium hotels, currently operating as Stamford Bridge Hotel London, to lyf by the second half of 2025. The lyf brand, with its experience-led, social living concept, aligns perfectly with the spirit of Chelsea and the dynamic energy of Stamford Bridge. Offering more than just a place to stay, lyf will deliver an immersive experience that reflects Chelsea’s strong sense of community, passion and excellence. Whether guests are visiting for a match or immersing themselves in the club’s legendary legacy, we are confident this new lyf property will provide a truly remarkable experience,” she added.
Highlights from The Famous CFC – Singapore Edition
The Singapore edition of The Famous CFC kicked off on Saturday, 30 November, with a series of football coaching clinics at The Ark futsal court in Funan, led by coaches from Chelsea FC. Reflecting The Famous CFC’s commitment to supporting local communities, the clinics hosted participants from SportCares, the philanthropic arm of Sport Singapore, and the Singapore Disability Sports Council. Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola made a special appearance, engaging with the beneficiaries and sharing inspiring words with the young players.
Later in the day, Zola visited Ascott Orchard Singapore to film exclusive content for fans. He then hosted an intimate meet-and-greet with Ascott Star Rewards members at The Robertson House by The Crest Collection, where fans had the chance to interact with him and take photos with the 2016/17 Premier League trophy. Zola also stopped by Chandu, the hotel’s speakeasy cocktail bar, where he tried his hand at crafting the ‘Magic Box Dribble’, a cocktail specially created in his honour.
The activities continued on Sunday, 1 December, with more football coaching clinics. This was followed by a fireside chat at lyf Funan Singapore, where Zola shared personal stories, reflected on memorable moments from his football career and answered questions from attendees. In the evening, Zola joined Ascott Star Rewards members for a lively dinner party at lyf Funan Singapore. The event featured an immersive experiential zone for photo opportunities and a merchandise booth inspired by the iconic dressing room at Stamford Bridge. Three ‘one-of-a-kind’ shirts, two autographed by Zola and one by Chelsea award-winning player Cole Palmer respectively, were put up for a live charity auction during the dinner party. In line with Ascott’s and Chelsea’s efforts to promote disability inclusion, auction proceeds were donated to the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund (GCTEF), which supports persons with disabilities through providing financial aid, supporting aspirations and conferring awards to recognise the achievements and potential of persons with disabilities. GCTEF is administered by SG Enable and supported by Mediacorp, with Singapore’s Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong as its Patron.
The excitement culminated with the Chelsea vs. Aston Villa watch party at Funan, where around 250 supporters gathered at the shopping mall’s atrium to watch the thrilling match live from Stamford Bridge, with Zola celebrating alongside them. The atmosphere was electric as fans cheered on their favourite team. Special greetings from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Robert Sanchez, Axel Disasi, Marcus Bettinelli and Nicholas Jackson, along with exclusive giveaways drawn by Marc Cucurella and Robert Sanchez, heightened the excitement throughout the evening. With surprises and memorable moments at every turn, the event marked the perfect conclusion to an extraordinary two-day Famous CFC festivities.
For the latest updates on exclusive offers from Ascott’s partnership with Chelsea, including the upcoming editions of The Famous CFC, please visit https://www.discoverasr.com/en/ascott-chelseafc.
Hashtag: #TheAscottLimited #AscottStarRewards #DiscoverASR #StayRewarded
https://www.discoverasr.com/en
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ascott-limited/
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The Ascott Limited
Since pioneering Asia Pacific’s first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984, Ascott has grown to be a trusted hospitality company with over 960 properties globally. Headquartered in Singapore, Ascott’s presence extends across about 230 cities in over 40 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA. Ascott’s diversified accommodation offerings span serviced residences, coliving properties, hotels and independent senior living apartments, as well as student accommodation and rental housing. Its award-winning hospitality brands include Ascott, Citadines, lyf, Oakwood, Somerset, The Crest Collection, The Unlimited Collection, Fox, Harris, POP!, Preference, Quest, Vertu and Yello. Through Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), Ascott’s loyalty programme, members enjoy exclusive privileges and offers at participating properties.
A wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand Investment Limited, Ascott is a leading vertically-integrated lodging operator. Harnessing its extensive network of third-party owners and in-market expertise, Ascott grows fee-related earnings through its hospitality management and investment management capabilities. Ascott also expands its funds under management by growing its sponsored CapitaLand Ascott Trust and private funds.
This year, Ascott marks 40 years in hospitality service with the launch of Ascott Unlimited, a full year campaign that will offer Unlimited Opportunities, Unlimited Choices, Unlimited Freedom, and Unlimited Good. Navigating a future of unlimited possibilities against a backdrop of global change and evolving perspectives of travel, Ascott Unlimited marks Ascott’s ambitions to break new ground, and springboard to its next chapter of growth as a global hospitality company. Find out more about Ascott Unlimited at www.discoverasr.com/ascottunlimited.
For more information on Ascott and its sustainability programme, please visit www.discoverasr.com/the-ascott-limited. Alternatively, connect with us on 
Facebook, 
Instagram, 
TikTok and LinkedIn.
Chelsea Football Club
Chelsea Football Club is one of the top football clubs globally and its men’s team were the FIFA Club World Cup winners for 2021, with the final when the side beat Brazilian side Palmeiras in Abu Dhabi held in 2022 due to the pandemic. That success followed winning the UEFA Champions League for a second time in 2021 with victory over Manchester City in Porto.
Founded in 1905, Chelsea is London’s most central football club, based at the iconic 40,000-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium. Nicknamed ‘The Blues’, the club lifted the Champions League for the first time in 2012 and has also won the Premier League five times, the FA Cup eight times, the Football League Cup five times, the UEFA Europa League twice, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup twice, the UEFA Super Cup twice and the Football League Championship once, in 1955.
The 2021 Champions League and Super Cup triumphs ensured Chelsea became the first club to win four major UEFA club competitions twice, following its earlier successes in those two competitions as well as the Europa League and Cup Winners’ Cup.
The Chelsea Women’s team have enjoyed a huge amount of success and in 2024 won the FA Women’s Super League for a fifth consecutive year and the seventh time overall. The Women’s FA Cup has been won on five occasions. The side has also captured the FA Women’s League Cup twice as well as reaching the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 2021.
In addition to possessing some of the world’s most recognisable players, Chelsea has also invested in its future with a state-of-the-art Academy and training centre in Cobham, Surrey. Since the Academy building’s opening in 2008, the club has won seven FA Youth Cups, back-to-back UEFA Youth League titles in 2015 and 2016, and the U23 and U18 Premier League national championships most recently in 2019/20 and 2017/18 respectively.
The Chelsea Foundation boasts one of the most extensive community initiatives in sport, helping to improve the lives of children and young people all over the world.
CapitaLand Investment Limited
Headquartered and listed in Singapore, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real asset manager with a strong Asia foothold. As at 30 September 2024, CLI had S$134 billion of assets under management, as well as S$102 billion of funds under management held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts and a suite of private real asset vehicles that invest in thematic and tactical strategies. Its diversified real estate asset classes include retail, office, lodging, industrial, logistics, business parks, wellness, self-storage, data centres, private credit and special opportunities.
CLI aims to scale its fund management, lodging management and commercial management businesses globally and maintain effective capital management. As the investment management arm of CapitaLand Group, CLI has access to the development capabilities of and pipeline investment opportunities from CapitaLand’s development arm.
As a responsible company, CLI places sustainability at the core of what it does and has committed to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2050. CLI contributes to the environmental and social well-being of the communities where it operates, as it delivers long-term economic value to its stakeholders.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
African leaders have been advised to focus on economic integration through industrialisation, as this would make the continent a formidable force in the global market.
This charge was given by the Minister of State in the Tanzanian President’s Office responsible for Planning and Investment, Prof. Kitila A. Mkumbo, during a visit to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lagos.
“Africa now needs economic liberation, and that can only come through industrialisation,” he said, describing Mr Aliko Dangote as Africa’s leading industrialist whose investments are increasingly extending beyond Nigeria to support development across the continent.
He added that Tanzania looks forward to working with Dangote Group as part of a broader vision of accelerating Pan-African industrialisation and strengthening regional manufacturing capacity.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of local refining capacity in improving Africa’s energy security, particularly in light of recent disruptions in global oil markets.
Referring to the impact of tensions around the Strait of Hormuz on global fuel prices, he said increased refining capacity from facilities such as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery would help cushion African economies against external shocks.
According to him, affordable and reliable energy remains one of the most important drivers of economic development, noting that expanded refining capacity across the continent would contribute significantly to lowering energy costs and improving the quality of life for millions of Africans.
The Tanzanian delegation was in Nigeria to follow up on discussions held earlier this year between President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Mr Dangote regarding the expansion of Dangote Group’s investment footprint in Tanzania.
The East African nation reaffirmed its commitment to deepening economic cooperation with Dangote Group, expressing strong interest in attracting new investments in fertiliser production, energy and industrial infrastructure to support the country’s long-term development agenda.
“We have come here to make a follow-up on what they deliberated with our President in terms of further Dangote investments in Tanzania,” Mr Mkumbo said.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading brewers and beverage companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, Champion Breweries Plc, has expressed its commitment to strengthening its market position.
The beer maker gave this assurance while reacting to its financial performance for the first half of 2026, which was strong, driven by solid commercial performance, improved operational efficiencies, and the successful expansion of its business portfolio following the acquisition of EnjoyBev B.V.
In the period under review, the organisation boosted its growth platform through strategic investment, delivered resilient operating performance, and successfully transitioned to a new group structure.
Its revenue reached N35.73 billion, while second-quarter revenue amounted to N21.37 billion. Operating profit stood at N6.17 billion, and profit after tax attributable to the group was N2.65 billion, with second-quarter profit after tax of N1.76 billion.
The firm also successfully completed the acquisition of an 80 per cent equity interest in EnjoyBev B.V., strengthened its capital base through a successful capital raising programme that increased shareholders’ equity to N69.08 billion, and maintained full compliance with NGX free float requirements, with free float increasing to 25.72 per cent as of June 30, 2026.
“The first half of 2026 marks a defining chapter in Champion Breweries’ journey. We have not only delivered a strong operating performance but also successfully transformed our business into a broader beverage group with an expanded platform for sustainable growth.
“While higher finance costs associated with our strategic investment programme impacted profitability during the period, our underlying business remains strong.
“The combination of disciplined commercial execution, continued investment in our brands and route-to-market capabilities and improving operational efficiency positions us well for future growth.
“We remain focused on creating long-term value for shareholders, strengthening our market position, and capturing the opportunities presented by our expanded business platform,” the acting chief executive of Champion Breweries, Mr Rasheed Adebiyi, said.
For businesses operating across borders, payments are no longer simply the final step in a transaction. The way money moves can influence where a company sells, how quickly it can enter a new market, and how easily customers can complete a purchase. As digital payment methods become more diverse, businesses are adjusting not only their checkout options but also the way payment processes fit into wider operations.
This shift is particularly visible in international commerce. A company can now serve customers in multiple markets without relying on a single payment method or a traditional physical presence in each location. Digital payments have become part of the infrastructure that supports increasingly distributed business models.
A More Connected Payment Environment
Global commerce has created a more complicated payment environment. Customers in different countries may have very different expectations about how a purchase should be paid for. Some markets rely heavily on cards, while others have seen rapid adoption of digital wallets, bank-based payment methods, or other local alternatives.
For businesses, this variety creates both opportunities and practical challenges. Offering payment options that customers recognize can reduce friction during a transaction, while supporting several markets may require businesses to work with different payment technologies and providers.
Digital payments have therefore become closely connected to market expansion. A company entering a new country does not only need to consider demand for its products or services. It also needs to understand how customers in that market prefer to pay and whether its existing payment setup can accommodate those expectations.
More Choices for Businesses and Customers
The growth of digital payments has expanded the range of choices available on both sides of a transaction.
Consumers can increasingly choose between cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, mobile payment methods and other forms of electronic payment. Businesses, meanwhile, can select from different technologies and payment providers depending on their markets and operational requirements.
This development has changed the role of payments in the customer experience. Payment is no longer necessarily treated as an isolated technical process that begins only after a purchasing decision has been made. The available options can influence whether a customer completes a transaction in the first place.
For international businesses, flexibility can be particularly important. A payment method that is familiar and convenient in one market may be less relevant in another. Supporting a broader selection can allow businesses to adapt their payment experience without changing the underlying product or service.
The Rise of Alternative Payment Models
Traditional card and bank-based payments remain important, but the digital payments landscape has expanded beyond these established methods. Digital wallets, account-to-account payments, mobile solutions and cryptocurrency have all contributed to a broader definition of what a digital transaction can look like.
Cryptocurrency remains a smaller part of the overall payments landscape, but it has created another category of payment technology for businesses to consider. Specialized solutions such as BitHide can provide businesses with tools for handling crypto payments as part of their broader payment operations.
The significance of this development is not necessarily that every business will adopt cryptocurrency. Rather, it demonstrates how the payment landscape continues to diversify. Businesses operating internationally can increasingly choose from different models instead of relying on a single approach across every market.
Payments Are Becoming Part of Business Operations
As payment systems become more digital, their role increasingly extends beyond accepting money from customers. Payment processes can interact with accounting, order management, customer records and other parts of a company’s digital operations.
This is particularly relevant for businesses with large transaction volumes or customers in multiple countries. Manual payment processes can become difficult to manage as the number of transactions, currencies and payment methods increases. Digital systems can help businesses organize these processes within a wider operational framework.
The result is a gradual shift in how companies think about payments. Instead of treating payment processing as a separate function, businesses are increasingly considering it alongside other elements of their digital infrastructure.
This does not mean that every company needs a complex payment setup. The appropriate approach depends on the business model, target markets, transaction volumes and types of customers involved. For some companies, a small number of established payment methods may be sufficient. Others may need a more flexible arrangement because of the markets they serve.
Adapting to Different Markets
One of the more important changes brought by digital payments is the ability to adapt payment experiences to different markets.
International businesses often face differences in consumer behavior, financial infrastructure and preferred payment methods. A payment strategy that works well domestically may therefore require adjustments when a company expands internationally.
Digital payment technology can make these adjustments more practical, but it does not remove the need for local market knowledge. Businesses still need to understand customer preferences, applicable requirements and the practical costs associated with different payment methods.
This makes payment strategy part of international expansion rather than an issue that can be addressed only after a new market has been entered.
What Comes Next for Global Businesses
The digital payments market is likely to continue becoming more diverse as businesses and customers adopt new ways of moving money. The important change may not be the replacement of one payment method by another, but the growing ability to combine different methods according to the needs of a particular business or market.
For global companies, this creates an emphasis on adaptability. Payment systems need to support the way a business operates rather than becoming a limitation on where and how it can sell.
Digital payments are consequently becoming more than a convenient alternative to cash or traditional payment processes. They are increasingly connected to international commerce, customer experience and day-to-day business operations. As payment options continue to develop, companies that can adapt their payment strategies to different markets will be better positioned to operate in an increasingly digital global economy.
