LiveMode, the Brazilian sports marketing agency, has accepted investment from the General Atlantic (US growth equity) and XP Investimentos (Brazilian financial services) firms.

The agency's partnership with the duo has been struck to help “accelerate the company's growth and its impact on the sports and media market through its portfolio’s full range of solutions for rights holders.”

The investment is aimed at helping LiveMode achieve greater cut-through in three main areas - soccer leagues, Olympic sports, and emerging sports.

It has also said that international expansion is a primary aim and mentions General Atlantic’s “reach and operational resources” in this context.

Current LiveMode rights-holder partners include the International Olympic Committee, soccer bodies FIFA and UEFA, and the Brazilian Olympic Committee.

Earlier this month, LiveMode renewed as the exclusive media rights sales agent of FIFA, and specifically its top-tier men’s World Cup, in Brazil.

The contract agreed between the two parties covers the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in a favorable time zone for Brazilian broadcasters - Mexico, the US, and Canada are the joint hosts.

In addition, it has become the exclusive agency of the Liga Forte União (LFU) collaborative group of Brazilian soccer clubs, in terms of negotiating their broadcast rights deals from next year onwards (the centralized approach to rights sales for Brazil’s Serie A will soon stop).

That 26-team group also has investment in place from General Atlantic and XP (which already have a relationship with each other - General Atlantic currently holds between 5% and 6% of XP shares).

Leo Lenz Cesar, a partner at LiveMode, said: “Both firms’ expertise in scaling growth companies, along with their extensive global networks, will be invaluable as we expand our operations and further innovate. We are thrilled to have their support as we focus on our ambition to help expand and professionalize the sport in Brazil and other countries.”

Luiz Ribeiro, General Atlantic’s managing director and co-head, added: “LiveMode is well-positioned at the crux of innovation and impact to build a leading multi-asset sports rights manager, as exemplified by the company’s unique solutions to live sports and its support in the formation of Liga Forte União.

“We are excited to partner with the LiveMode team on the next step of their journey as the company further strengthens its business through long-term partnerships, strategic IP investments, and global expansion.”