Heineken has confirmed it will end its long-standing sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League in August 2027.
The decision follows what the group described today (30 October) as a “strategic” review of its sponsorship portfolio, with the company citing a sharper focus on investments that deliver “spend proportionate to value creation” and measurable returns on investment. The announcement comes one day after AB InBev entered exclusive talks with UEFA’s commercial arm, UC3, to become the “global official partner in the beer product category” across all men’s club competitions, including the Champions League, from 2027 to 2033.
Heineken, which first sponsored the tournament in 1994 with the Amstel brand before switching to its flagship namesake beer in 2005, said the move was anticipated as part of its evolving global marketing strategy.
The brewer highlighted its intention to continue investing in major global sports platforms, including Formula 1, where Heineken holds “title and sustainability partnerships”, and Premier Padel, the fast-growing international racket sport that it joined as ‘global beer partner’ earlier this month.
Earlier this month, Heineken extended its tie-up with UEFA’s Women’s Champions League for another five years, covering the 2025–2030 commercial cycle.
