September 24: AB InBev has selected Stella Artois as the beer brand to lead the sponsorship of UEFA’s club competition from 2027/28, ending the Champions League’s three-decade partnership with Heineken.
The same rights were secured by AB InBev last year, but the brewer had not previously confirmed which of its brands would carry them.
That question was answered at the company’s Capital Markets Day in St Louis with Stella set to be active in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League from the start of the next UEFA business cycle in 2027.
The six-season deal runs until 2032/33 and is reported to be worth around €200m per year, although neither UEFA nor AB InBev have disclosed financial terms.
At this level, the package would be worth approximately €1.2 billion over its lifetime.
For comparison, Heineken’s current UEFA deal is reported to be around €120m per year. If these figures are generally comparable, the new agreement means an increase of approximately 67% in the beer category.
The move also brings to a close one of the longest-running relationships in football sponsorship, with the Heineken Group brands linked to UEFA’s top club competition since 1994, initially through Amstel before Heineken itself took the lead role.
AB InBev had many options for the relay. Its portfolio includes Budweiser, Corona and Michelob Ultra, but Stella has been chosen as the best choice for what the company describes as “the premium expression of European football”.
AB InBev says Stella is performing well in Brazil and growing in Mexico, the US and Africa, but is still relatively underdeveloped in parts of Asia. The Champions League gives him a regular global platform for most of the year rather than the short burst that a major tournament offers.
David Beckham, already a global brand ambassador for Stella, was invited to reveal UEFA’s link with investors. The deal will begin at the same time as a wider review of the commercial operation of UEFA clubs.
From 2027, US agency Relevent takes over from TEAM Marketing as UC3’s business partner. TEAM’s own relationship with UEFA dates back to the 1990s, making 2027 a pretty substantial reset: new commercial agency, new beer partner and a new rights cycle aimed at boosting revenue.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)