Mongolia to pay 6 billion tugrik claim over its Fulham sponsorship deal

Mongolia will pay a 6 billion tugrik claim arising from its sponsorship deal with Premier League club Fulham, Cabinet Secretariat head B. Enkhbayar said at a briefing on November 12. The contract was signed by Ch. Nomin, now Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Communications, when she was Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth.

What Enkhbayar said

According to Reelnews.mn, Enkhbayar said: "Mongolia is going to pay the 6 billion tugrik claim arising from the contract Ch. Nomin signed with Fulham. If we go to court, Mongolia has almost no chance of winning. If we say we won't pay, go to court and lose, the cost to taxpayers will be even higher." The government has not yet said when or from which budget the payment will be made.

Background to the deal and the dispute

The government signed the deal with Fulham in June 2024 to promote Mongolia under the "Go Mongolia" brand. According to Polit.mn, the contract was worth 1.36 million pounds, and then Culture Minister Ch. Undram said the club had taken the Mongolian government to arbitration after Mongolia failed to transfer 360,000 pounds due in 2025 and 830,000 pounds due in 2026. Under the deal, the "Go Mongolia" logo was placed on the club's training kit and the club was to publish content promoting Mongolia on its channels.

Mpress.mn has previously reported, citing sources at the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC), that the IAAC was looking into Nomin over the contract. The IAAC has not announced any official finding, and no court has found anyone guilty.

Reaction on X

Enkhbayar's statement, posted by UBN on X, was the most-reposted post among Mongolian users during the daytime hours of November 12. Some users questioned the value of the deal, noting that the "Go Mongolia" logo appeared on the club's warm-up kit rather than its match shirts.