Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (“Spurs”) made history as they took to the pitch for the first-ever North London derby held outside London, thrilling fans in Hong Kong. The match marked a milestone moment not just for the club, but for global football, as the Spurs showcased their commitment to engaging with their international fanbase. The event was the grand finale of AIA One Billion Week, an initiative by AIA that supports their goal to inspire one billion people across Asia to live healthier, longer, better lives by 2030.

AIA One Billion Week unfolded at AIA Vitality Park in Central, Hong Kong, where AIA once again teamed up with Spurs for a week-long community event. Fans enjoyed a week packed with football challenges, youth clinics, and a variety of community activities that brought everyone together.

More than just a game
The day before the derby, four Spurs players comprising of James Maddison, Micky Van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and Lucas Vergball engaged with students from AIA Healthiest Schools, AIA’s pioneering program that promotes healthy habits in schools across Asia and Australia. Several kids eagerly asked the players about their routines, mental resilience, and motivation on and off the pitch.

Some Filipino fans also got active with interactive football zones at AIA Vitality Park. Among them were Jo Niño, Ariel Briones Mallen and Marice Magdolot from Team Success, and Tigulang FC team A, the champions of AIA’s Here to Play tournament in the Philippines. For these rising talents, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see their idols up close.

“Our partnership with Spurs is rooted in a shared belief that sports can spark healthier habits and big dreams,” said Melissa Henson, AIA Philippines Chief Marketing Officer. “When young fans meet their idols or participate in grassroots clubs and matches, wellness becomes a way of life they can see and feel for themselves.”

A legacy beyond goals
Tottenham Hotspur’s rise to global prominence has been marked by thrilling performances, a passionate fanbase, and a historic Europa League triumph that solidified their place among Europe’s elite. Their journey has inspired millions, uniting fans across continents and showcasing the power of football to transcend borders.

As a long-standing Global Principal Partner of Spurs, AIA has been proud to stand alongside the club through its most iconic moments. The partnership has gone beyond the pitch, championing health and wellness initiatives that empower communities across Asia.

“Tottenham Hotspur’s commitment to excellence, resilience, and community mirrors AIA’s mission to help people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives,” said Adrian New, AIA Group’s Director of Football Initiatives. “Through our partnership, we’ve been able to inspire healthier habits and bring meaningful wellness programs to life across the region.”

AIA’s partnership with Tottenham Hotspur, now in its 12th year, is one of the longest partnerships in Premier League history and provides a powerful platform to deepen engagement with communities across Asia. Together, they have hosted football clinics attended by more than 160,000 children, connected fans through the club’s tours across Asia, and supported community causes that reflect shared values of innovation, inclusion, and sustainability.

An unexpected moment
During the game, an unexpected highlight came from the crowd: AIA Philippines ambassadors Wil Dasovich and Nico Bolzico playfully joined in on the fun by mimicking the viral 'stadium kiss cam' moment, much to the delight of Filipino fans back home.

The viral clip, showing Nico going in for a quick peck as Wil bursts out laughing, perfectly captured the weekend’s celebratory and lighthearted spirit. Thanks to AIA Philippines for bringing the duo to the game, where sports, community, and fun collided in one unforgettable night.

The Spurs versus Arsenal match capped off a momentum-filled week for AIA. Across Asia, the leading Pan-Asian insurer continues to promote health and wellness through youth football clinics, school programs, and campaigns like Rethink Healthy, which challenges how people see everyday health and well-being.

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About AIA Philippines

AIA Philippines (AIA Philippines Life and General Insurance Company Inc.) formerly AIA Philam Life (The Philippine American Life and General Insurance Company), is the country’s premier life insurance company. Originally established on 21 June 1947 and became popularly known as Philam Life, AIA Philippines has earned the trust of customers for its financial strength, strong brand name, and ability to deliver on its promises. 

AIA Philippines has PHP 257.76 billion in total assets and PHP 57.35 billion in net worth as of 31 December 2024 while serving nearly 1.2 million individual policyholders and nearly 800,000 insured group members. AIA Philippines understands the needs of its customers and provides holistic solutions that include life protection, health insurance, savings, education, retirement, investment, group, and credit life insurance. It also offers bancassurance through its subsidiary, BPI AIA Life Assurance Corporation (formerly BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corporation). 

Based on the unaudited reports submitted to the Insurance Commission as of 31 December 2024, the combined total premium income of AIA Philippines and BPI AIA was at PHP 29.77 billion. AIA Philippines is a member of AIA Group Limited, the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. 

AIA and BPI AIA are regulated by the Insurance Commission.

About AIA
AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively “AIA” or the “Group”) comprise the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. It has a presence in 18 markets – wholly-owned branches and subsidiaries in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR⁽¹⁾, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar,  New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), Vietnam, Brunei and Macau SAR⁽²⁾, and a 49 per cent joint venture in India. In addition, AIA has a 24.99 per cent shareholding in China Post Life Insurance Co., Ltd

The business that is now AIA was first established in Shanghai more than a century ago in 1919. It is a market leader in Asia (ex-Japan) based on life insurance premiums and holds leading positions across the majority of its markets. It had total assets of US$305 billion as of 31 December 2024. 

AIA meets the long-term savings and protection needs of individuals by offering a range of products and services including life insurance, accident and health insurance and savings plans. The Group also provides employee benefits, credit life and pension services to corporate clients. Through an extensive network of agents, partners and employees across Asia, AIA serves the holders of more than 43 million individual policies and 16 million participating members of group insurance schemes.

AIA Group Limited is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock codes “1299” for HKD counter and “81299” for RMB counter with American Depositary Receipts (Level 1) traded on the over-the-counter market under the ticker symbol “AAGIY”.

Notes:
⁽¹⁾Hong Kong SAR refers to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
⁽²⁾ Macau SAR refers to the Macau Special Administrative Region.