Marketing & Sponsorship

Heineken renews Champions League sponsorship

Heineken has agreed a three-year renewal of its global sponsorship deal with the Uefa Champions League, SportBusiness can exclusively reveal.

As previously reported, the firm was understood to be in advanced negotiations with the European governing body and its exclusive sponsorship sales agency Team Marketing, with fellow current Champions League sponsor Mastercard also on the cusp of renewing.

The Dutch brewer is now understood to have signed the contract with Uefa and an official announcement about the extension is expected soon. It would become the second brand to renew its Champions League ‘Global Sponsor’ rights after PepsiCo announced a renewal in July, also exclusively reported by SportBusiness.

The agreement covers the next Champions League cycle from 2024-25 to 2026-27 and means the brewing company will have had an association with the competition in some shape or form since 1994.

The company’s Amstel brand sponsored the tournament from that point until the main Heineken brand took over the rights in 2005. The Uefa competition, previously known as the European Cup, was rebranded and reformatted as the Champions League for the 1992-93 season.

It remains to be seen if Heineken will also renew the sponsorship deal between its zero-alcohol Heineken 0.0 brand and Uefa’s second-tier club competition, the Europa League, which is combined as a package with the third-tier Europa Conference League.

Heineken was also a Euro 2020 sponsor, the second tier of the federation’s national team football programme, and is a top-tier Uefa Women’s Football Partner, the uppermost tier in its women’s football sponsorship programme. Uefa is currently in the market for Euro 2024 sponsors while the Women’s Football Partner deal is not due to expire until 2025.

Team Marketing has the remit to sell the global sponsorship rights to all Uefa club competitions for the next cycle while CAA Eleven is the exclusive sponsorship sales agency for national team football. TRM Partners, the sponsorship sales agency owned by Two Circles, supports the confederation’s search for sponsors for its women’s football programme.

Flat fee
SportBusiness understands Heineken is paying a similar sum on a per-annum basis to its previous three-year deal with the competition.

The brand is known to have been one of the highest-paying brands in the Champions League sponsorship portfolio and sources said the flat fee ought to be seen as a course correction to bring its deal closer into line with other sponsors.

Team Marketing is facing increased revenue targets for the Champions League based on the heightened media value of the competition as format changes expand its total number of matches and teams taking part.

To help meet the targets, Uefa’s Champions League sponsorship offering for the next cycle will include one additional top-tier Global Sponsor position and a new secondary ‘supplier-style’ tier, designed to appeal to technology brands or companies who lack the financial clout to take a top-tier package.

Uefa and Team are aware that affordability is becoming an issue for some brands, so part of the thinking behind the new slots is that they will spread the burden of meeting the new sponsorship revenue targets.

Set against this, sister title SportBusiness Sponsorship reported PepsiCo’s deal to be worth around 20 per cent more than its agreement in the last three-year cycle. The uplift is partly explained by the company securing an enhanced package of rights that includes the player hydration rights and pitch-side exposure for its Gatorade brand.

Sources said the company was keenly aware of interest from Coca-Cola in sponsoring the Champions League, with one suggesting the rival brand had come closer than ever to snatching the rights from PepsiCo. But SportBusiness Sponsorship has been unable to determine exactly how advanced discussions got with the competitor.

There is also understood to be an uplift in Mastercard’s renewal, which is thought to have been agreed in principle and is now at the contracting phase.

In April it was revealed Uefa had also accepted three offers from brands in relation to its Europa League and Europa Conference League packages but the identities of the companies in question has yet to be revealed.

Marketing & Sponsorship

Soft2Bet Secures Divisionsforeningen Deal, Expands In Denmark

Online Malta-based bookmaker Soft2Bet has agreed a two-year deal with Denmark’s Divisionsforeningenin to sponsor the second, third and fourth tiers Danish football.

Soft2Bet will activate the sponsorship via its brands Betinia and CampoBet. The top flight will be rebranded Betinia Liga, while the second and third divisions will named CampoBet 2 Division and CampoBet 3.

No value was given for the sponsorship.

Betinia launched in Denmark in 2023 while the CampoBet brand debuted last year. Soft2Bet has expanded in the Scandinavian market having also launched in Sweden.

Oksana Tsyhankova, CMO of Soft2Bet, said: “With a strong focus on localised, responsible experiences through Betinia and CampoBet, we support both the growth of the game and the communities behind it.”

Soft2Bet will support local football initiatives, with a focus on talent development, fan engagement and youth participation.

Claus Thomsen, Director of the Divisionsforeningen, said: “The fact that there will now also be a name sponsor for the third and fourth best tiers is a tribute to all the work the clubs have done to deliver a fantastic product, create ever better conditions and increase awareness of the tier.”

Online casino and sports betting revenue in 2024 reached DKK7.27 billion (£811.2 million), according to SBC. Sports betting accounted for DKK2.21bn.

Insideworldfootbal.com

Marketing & Sponsorship

NLO, NTA Partner For Live Playoff Broadcasts

In a landmark move aimed at strengthening grassroots football development, the Nationwide League One (NLO) has announced a strategic broadcast partnership with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to air its ongoing playoff matches live across the country.

The initiative, unveiled by NLO Chief Operating Officer Mr. Sola Ogunnowo, underscores the league’s commitment to expanding national access to the exciting action within Nigeria’s third-tier football structure.

With this deal, fans from all corners of the country will be able to witness the raw talent and fierce competition that define the NLO playoffs.

> “This live broadcast partnership with NTA is a major step toward deepening the reach and appeal of grassroots football,” Ogunnowo said. “The NLO playoffs represent the passion and raw talent we have across Nigeria, and we’re excited to share that with the entire nation.”

Full NTA Broadcast Schedule for NLO Playoffs:

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Na Royal vs. House of Prayer — 1 PM, LIVE from Bwari Stadium

JNR Danburan vs. Kano Ambassadors — 3 PM, LIVE from Gumel Stadium

Friday, June 20, 2025

Vet Rovers vs. Family Worship — 11 AM, LIVE from ABS Stadium, Kaduna

Kaduna United vs. DMD — Delayed transmission from Jos Stadium

Sunday, June 22, 2025

JNR Danburan vs. Clever Warriors — 1 PM, LIVE from Gumel Stadium

Zeal Minds vs. House of Prayer — 3 PM, LIVE from Bwari Stadium

Ogunnowo highlighted that the league’s partnership with NTA forms part of a broader vision to elevate the profile of emerging clubs and provide greater visibility for talented players aiming to climb Nigeria’s football hierarchy.

> “We’re not just organizing matches — we’re building a future for Nigerian football,” he said. “By enhancing fan experience through live broadcasts and working closely with our local organizing committees and media partners, we’re ensuring that our playoffs are delivered with top-tier professionalism.”

The NLO playoffs have become a vital showcase for spotting future football stars and offering clubs a stepping stone toward higher divisions in Nigeria’s football pyramid. This televised coverage is expected to amplify support for participating teams and attract potential investors and scouts to the grassroots game.

With nationwide viewership now guaranteed, the NLO playoffs are not just a tournament — they’re a celebration of Nigerian football’s next generation.

Sports247.ng

Marketing & Sponsorship

Atlético Madrid Opens ‘Casa Atléti’ In Tinseltown

Atlético Madrid have pitched up in the City of Angels with “Casa Atleti,” a multi-day brand circus that’s part retail therapy, part fan festival, and cleverly designed to separate Americans from their hard-earned dollars while competing in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup looming and every European giant scrambling for their slice of the American football pie, Los Angeles represents the perfect storm of Latino heritage, celebrity culture, and disposable income.

“Casa Atleti” isn’t just your average pop-up shop. There’s an official merchandise store, watch parties, meet-and-greets with club legends, and cultural events.

The programme reads like a festival lineup: daily coaching symposiums led by Atlético’s technical staff, live music, and food experiences. Several events, including watch parties for the matches, have already sold out according to the club’s official channels.

This isn’t just about shifting some shirts and signing up a few new Instagram followers. “Casa Atleti” is Atlético Madrid’s latest play in what’s becoming an increasingly crowded field – and of course competing with Real Madrid who have already cracked the U.S. market.

Whether “Casa Atleti” becomes a genuine foothold in the American market or just another expensive marketing exercise remains to be seen. But in a city built on selling dreams, Atlético Madrid are certainly speaking the right language.

Insideworldfootball.com