AB InBev in Position to End Heineken’s Long Run as UEFA Beer Partner

Heineken is set to lose its official beer partnership with European football governing body UEFA, which has entered into exclusive discussions with Budweiser brewer AB InBev.

UC3 – the joint venture between UEFA and European Football Clubs, representing more than 800 European football clubs and the body that controls and manages commercial rights to UEFA club competitions – has moved forward with AB InBev following a bidding process which began in early October.

What’s included?

AB InBev would sponsor European club football’s men’s competitions, including the first-tier competition the Champions League, second-tier competition the Europa League, third-tier competition the Conference League, and the Super Cup; an annual one-off match between the winners of the Champions League and the Europa League. The deal would not include the UEFA Youth League.

A sizeable increase

AB InBev is reported to have offered €200 million (£175.7 million) a year for a six-year deal, which would run from 2027 to 2033. The annual value would be 66% higher than Heineken’s current deal, which is worth €120 million per year and began in 2024.

UEFA, which has opted for a significantly longer partnership in the next cycle, is set to agree its first global sponsorship sales process for that cycle if and when the AB InBev deal completes. UEFA has been assisted in the process by its partner agency Relevent; specifically its subsidiary Relevent Football Partners.

A new football deal for AB InBev

AB InBev’s global brands include Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois. The brewer has been an official beer sponsor of the FIFA World Cup since 1986; this collaboration was expanded to the FIFA Club World Cup in the US in summer 2025. AB InBev is also a partner of the International Olympic Committee, and that deal runs through the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane, Australia.

An AB InBev spokesperson has been quoted as saying: “Our selection by UC3 reflects our commitment to football and our mega-platform strategy. The UEFA men’s club competitions will allow our brands to create more memorable experiences for fans globally and reinforce that beer and sports are better together. We look forward to becoming a great partner to UC3 for years to come.”

End of an era

Heineken has become synonymous with UEFA club competitions, which it has sponsored since 1994; two years after UEFA rebranded its flagship European Cup competition to the Champions League. The brewer sponsored the Champions League with its Amstel brand from 1994 to 2005, and has since used its self-named lager brand for the partnership. Heineken will continue to sponsor UEFA club competitions until its agreement concludes at the start of the 2027/28 season.

Heineken said in a statement: “Today we are announcing that the Heineken partnership with the Champions League is coming to an end as of August 2027. After a partnership of 30 years this is of course an emotional moment for us. We’ve made the strategic choice to focus our sponsorships on platforms where spend is proportionate to value creation, ensuring return on investment."

“We still have two more years to make the Champions League sponsorship big and keep the association with the Heineken brand in the minds of people for years to come. It has been a great ride, and in the spirit of our pioneering mindset and continuing to build meaningfulness and difference for our brands, we are proud to be investing in the future.”