Anheuser-Busch InBev has added another element to its longstanding marketing arrangement with FIFA through the soccer organisation’s Club World Cup.
The brewer & brand owner, which is also a headline sponsor of the Olympic Games with Corona, will be an official partner of next year’s tournament in the US. Both Budweiser and Michelob Ultra, the latter of which is already linked with the Copa America tournament, will front the group’s marketing activity around the competition.
Running from 15 June to 13 July, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will be an extended format of the tournament, with 32 domestic clubs set to play in 11 cities. AB InBev is also sponsoring FIFA’s World Cup competition of national clubs in 2026 and has worked with the organiser for approaching 40 years.
“This partnership … continues our legacy of bringing beer and sports together for fans around the world,” said CEO Michel Doukeris. “We look forward to activating this first-of-its-kind tournament next summer in partnership with FIFA.”
Speaking exclusively to Global Drinks Intel earlier this year, Doukeris referenced what he called “centres of gravity” in marketing terms for the company’s beer marks. “Each brand is more associated with a specific type of sport or audience,” he said. “Our brands have … their swimming lanes and they’ll continue to be in their lanes.”
