If You Are Going to the Paris Olympics, Make 'This Card'

Payment for drinks and souvenirs only with Visa card
Sponsored contract signed with Visa and IOC

During the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, beverages and souvenirs can only be purchased with a Visa card inside the venues.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 19th (local time), French media reported this. It means that payments with other credit cards such as Mastercard or American Express are not possible.

This is due to the sponsorship agreement Visa has with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

Visa has had a sponsorship contract with the IOC since 1986 and has exclusively provided payment services at every Olympic Games. In 2018, the Olympic partnership was extended until 2032.

Visa's partnership with the IPC has also continued since 2002.

The only exception was the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in China, where digital yuan transactions were also allowed.

Visa plans to deploy a total of 4,500 dedicated payment terminals during this event.

Spectators without a Visa card must pay with cash. Visa also plans to install about 60 ATMs in total.

Anticipating long lines in front of the ATMs, Visa will also sell prepaid Visa cards at each venue. Prepaid Visa cards can also be purchased and used for payment through a mobile-only app.