The deal, which begins with the 2024-25 season, comprises ‘official beer’ status for the stout and the ‘official non-alcoholic beer’ moniker for alcohol-free sibling Guinness 0.0. While financial details were not disclosed, reports earlier this year suggested Diageo would pay in the region of GBP41m (US$52.2m) over the course of the four-year agreement.
The same reports claimed that Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose Budweiser brand was the EPL’s official beer from 2019 until the end of last season, paid almost GBP8m per year to the league organiser.
Guinness has had strong associations historically with rugby union, having previously sponsored the English Premiership and as the current headline sponsor of the Six Nations annual international tournament. According to Diageo, today’s announcement represents the first global partnership for the brand.
Earlier this week, the group agreed to divest of its majority stake in Guinness Nigeria as part of its strategy of switching to contract brewing for the beer in several African markets.
