ZTE has reportedly reached a sponsorship agreement with the China Football Association's (CFA) Super League.

The news was first reported by Chinabyte.com, but both ZTE and the CFA deny the news and say any type of negotiations regarding those matters are secret. The Chinabyte article also says that the agreement will last for one year and is worth about CNY45 million.

China's football has fallen on hard times as team owners pulled their players off the field last year to protest bad referee calls. Sponsorships were thought difficult to acquire, and ZTE's sponsorship, if it comes to fruition, would be a good sign that industry has faith in China's football future.

ZTE also hopes to gain from the added exposure. With the building of a 3G platform for its mobile phone products and services, the company wants to increase public awareness of its brand.