19.09.2023 09:00:06 - dpa-AFX: GNW-Adhoc: Brewing Success: Heineken® Renews Long-Standing Relationship with UEFA Champions League - Marking Over 30 Years Together
Dolf van den Brink CEO at Heineken and Aleksander ?eferin President of UEFA
AMSTERDAM, Sept. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heineken(®) is announcing the
extension of its sponsorship with the UEFA Champions League, Europe's premier
men's club football competition, from 2024 through 2027. The extension will take
the longstanding partnership to 33 years by the time the deal reaches its
conclusion.
The UEFA Champions League is at the forefront of football culture which the
global brewer has always been a part of; from Zidane's volley at Hampden Park to
the miracle in Istanbul, the company has been included in the most iconic
imagery of the beautiful game, helping to create unforgettable moments for fans.
The longstanding alliance started in 1994 with the brand Amstel and moved to
Heineken(®) in 2005. For this new extension, UEFA's most iconic club tournament
takes on a new and exciting single-league format. From the 2024/25 season, the
competition will expand from 32 to 36 teams which will mean 189 matches instead
of the current 125, giving the brand even more opportunities to deliver
unforgettable experiences for fans.
A core element of the partnership has been about bringing fans together around
the world to develop meaningful experiences whilst promoting a positive message
of inclusion, equality, and access for all fans. To support this drive,
Heineken(®) activated the 'Cheers To All Fans' campaign across both UEFA
Champions League and UEFA Women's Champions League competitions from 2022 to
2023. The campaign highlighted inclusivity of the female fans and players
through a series of stunts and activations.
UEFA and the HEINEKEN company have spent the last 30 years growing the
competition together beyond its European home, which has reached over 2.5
billion viewers around the world*. The strong relationship between the two
brands is embodied by the fact that over 330 million fans who are aware of the
sponsorship have consumed Heineken(®) beer in the 21-22 season*. Heineken(®) has
supported the global growth of the competition for decades through cross-market
activations like the 'UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by
Heineken(®'). The tour has taken the most iconic trophy in club football to over
30 countries around the world to meet fans in person. Heineken(®) continues to
hold unique events around the world to support this growth and bring fans
together - in 2023, for example, the brewer held a series of screenings showing
the UEFA Champions League final in 12 cities, hosting over 20,000 supporters.
Dolf van den Brink, CEO at HEINEKEN:
"Football and beer have a special power to bring people together and create
unforgettable social moments. That's why we are thrilled to extend our
sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League until 2027 as the competition takes on
an exciting new format. This change means more matches and more opportunities to
bring fans together and create incredible memories for supporters around the
world."
Aleksander ?eferin, President of UEFA:
"We are delighted to extend our partnership with Heineken, a company with such a
well-established heritage in the world of sports. This new multi-year deal
pinnacles an extraordinary relationship between two long-standing allies,
lasting over a quarter of a century. Just like football and beer, our
collaboration is a perfect match."
The sponsorship will run alongside the brand's sponsorship of the UEFA Women's
Champions League and UEFA Women's EURO.
Please contact HNKNFootball@edelman.com (mailto:HNKNFootball@edelman.com) for
more information.
Notes to Editors:
About HEINEKEN:
HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer
and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken(®) brand, the
Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and
specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand
investment, disciplined sales execution, and focused cost management. Through
"Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business.
HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in
both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and
operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in
more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on
the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on
Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and
HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR)
programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX:
HKHHY).
Most recent information is available on HEINEKEN's website:
www.theHEINEKENcompany.com (http://www.theheinekencompany.com/) and follow us on
Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp
*21 - 22 Heineken UEFA UCL Insights - Global Football Study.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9cf99112-
580c-4403-8a13-1bf4bbf88e7b
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