AB InBev takes over Champions League sponsorship
After more than three decades, Heineken loses its position as official beer partner of European club competitions.
AB InBev will become the new beer partner of UEFA club competitions from 2027. This brings Heineken’s long-running commercial partnership with the Champions League to an end.
The commercial beer rights will go to AB InBev from 2027, the group behind brands including Stella Artois, Budweiser and Corona. According to The Guardian, a six-year agreement, running from 2027 to 2033 inclusive, has already been concluded. The deal covers UEFA’s three main men’s competitions: the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
Heineken previously announced that its partnership with the Champions League would end in August 2027. The Dutch group said at the time that it wanted to focus its sponsorship portfolio more on platforms where, in the company’s view, spending is proportionate to the value they generate. The brewer will remain visible around the competition until the partnership ends.
The change is commercially more significant than just a name change on the advertising boards. According to The Guardian, AB InBev will pay approximately €230 million per year for the package. That figure is a reported value; the full contractual terms have not been made public. Moreover, the rights cover hundreds of matches and several brands, not just one stadium board.
Heineken had been associated with the Champions League since 1994. UEFA confirmed in an earlier extension that the company would remain an official partner for the 2024–2027 cycle. The long duration made the brand part of the tournament’s established visual and commercial environment.
The new agreement fits into a broader effort to increase the commercial revenues of European club football. The Guardian writes that UEFA and the European clubs have adjusted their sales structure and are offering more rights in larger packages. This allows global companies to buy into more matches and competitions at the same time.
That model could increase the revenues of UEFA and the participating top clubs. At the same time, the debate over the distribution of European football revenues warns of a widening gap between the richest clubs and the rest. More sponsorship money does not automatically mean that the additional proceeds will reach smaller clubs or national competitions in proportionate measure.
For Heineken, the loss is above all a strategic choice with symbolic significance. The company does not say it is withdrawing from sports sponsorship: it points, among other things, to Formula 1 and Premier Padel. For AB InBev, the Champions League is precisely a way to link several global brands to an international audience at once.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The transfer of ownership and the term have been confirmed by several public sources. The amount is explicitly presented as a reported value, not as the full publicly disclosed contract value.
- confirmed Heineken’s partnership with the Champions League ends in August 2027. — This is stated in Heineken’s official statement. source
- confirmed AB InBev will become the official beer partner of UEFA club competitions from 2027. — The Guardian reports the concluded six-year agreement; AP previously described the transition from Heineken to AB InBev. source
- confirmed The new deal runs from 2027 to 2033 inclusive. — The Guardian refers to a six-year deal for 2027–2033. source
- confirmed The reported value is approximately €230 million per year. — The Guardian cites this amount as the agreed annual value. source
- confirmed Heineken has been a Champions League partner since 1994. — UEFA records the partnership since 1994. source
Editor's note
The end date of Heineken’s partnership, AB InBev’s new position and the six-year term are certain. The stated amount is a media report and not the full publicly disclosed contract value.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „heineken ab inbev”
- NOS — „heineken ab inbev”
- Het Parool — „heineken ab inbev”