SINGAPORE -- The ASEAN Women's Championship now has a title sponsor for the first time in the form of insurance company MSIG.
In a landmark event announced on Tuesday, the tournament will now be named the ASEAN MSIG Serenity Cup.
ASEAN Football Federation president Khiev Sameth explained: "Our partnership with MSIG, a company that promotes gender equality, is founded on a shared vision to develop and advance ASEAN women's football on all levels.
"It also marks a transformative era for the women's game throughout the region.
"A strong focus on ASEAN's leading women's tournament -- the MSIG Serenity Cup and empowering ASEAN women players and national teams to achieve their aspirations will inspire current and future generations of female footballers."
Clemens Philippi, the CEO of MSIG Asia, added: "Our goal through this partnership is clear: elevate women's football in this region"
First held in 2004, the ASEAN Women's Championship will hold its 13th edition later in June, with Indonesia confirmed as hosts.
A total of eight teams will compete for the title, including seven Southeast Asian nations in Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The 8th team is AFF member association Australia, who are global powerhouses and reached the semifinals of the last FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.
It is yet to be confirmed if the Matildas will field their senior team or send the U-23 team like they did in 2022.
Philippines are the defending champions while Thailand are the most successful team in the tournament's history with four previous triumphs.
The growth of women's football in the region was highlighted at the last Women's World Cup.
With the expansion of the Women's World Cup to a 32-team tournament for the first time in 2023, the increase in spots was seized upon by teams from the region -- with Philippines and Vietnam securing their debuts, marking the first time Southeast Asia had more than one representative.
The ASEAN Women's Championship has undergone significant changes in recent times.
While all member associations were originally eligible to compete, the latest edition saw the introduction of a qualifying event.
While the top five teams from the previous edition qualified automatically, the rest competed in the AFF Women's Cup last year -- where the top three -- Indonesia, Cambodia and Singapore -- also secured berths.