Douyin, a short video platform and also known as TikTok, has about 500 million active users monthly. Furthermore, Jinri Toutiao, a news and content platform, has garnered around 700 million users.
FIFA’s chief digital transformation & innovation officer, Luis Vicente, said: “Through these new accounts, Douyin and Toutiao will enable FIFA to entertain, inform, and engage millions of football fans in China and the wider region, as well as forming an important part of our commitment to building, nurturing and engaging long-lasting football fans communities in China to assist and accelerate the further development of football in the country.”
According to EU SME Centre, an agency that provides support to European SMEs expanding into China, the football industry has up to 300 million fans in the world's second-largest consumer market.
FIFA is the first football organisation to launch a WeChat mini-platform; the channel amassed more than 10 million of social followers in a span of 12 months — becoming the fastest-growing sports organisation online in China.
Image source: FIFA
