Heineken has announced it will end its long-running sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League in August 2027, marking the conclusion of one of the most recognisable partnerships in global sports marketing.
The Dutch brewer confirmed the decision in a statement today (30 October), describing it as a “strategic choice” to focus on sponsorships where “spend is proportionate to value creation” and ensures a stronger return on investment.
The move will bring to a close a relationship that has lasted three decades and helped make Heineken one of the most prominent brands in world football. “After a partnership of 30 years this is of course an emotional moment for us,” the company said. “It has been a great ride.”
Heineken’s partnership with the Champions League will reach 33 years when the current deal, signed in 2023, reaches its conclusion in 2027. The longstanding alliance started in 1994 with the brand Amstel and moved to Heineken in 2005.
Heineken said it had anticipated the shift and is already strengthening its ties to other global sports. The company remains a major sponsor of Formula 1 and recently signed a global partnership with Premier Padel, the fast-growing racket sport it described as having “meaningful multi-generational and gender reach.”
“These two main events will continue to underscore our passion for bringing people together in some of the world’s biggest sports tournaments,” Heineken said, adding that it continues to explore “additional events that will add progressive properties” and help build the brand’s global relevance.
Heineken will continue to activate its UEFA sponsorship for two more seasons, promising to make the final years of the partnership “big” and ensure the association with the brand “remains in the minds of people for years to come.”
The company said the decision reflects its “pioneering mindset” and commitment to “investing in the future” as it adapts its global marketing strategy to evolving consumer trends and new opportunities in sport.
Meanehile, Heineken has earlier this month reaffirmed its commitment to women’s sport by extending its global partnership with the UEFA Women’s Champions League until June 2030.