Anheuser-Busch InBev has added the next World Cup tournaments for both men and women to its longstanding sponsorship tie-up with organiser FIFA.
The Budweiser and Stella Artois brand owner will hold ‘official beer status’ for the Women’s World Cup, which starts next month. FIFA World Cup 2026 will also feature the brewer, despite the previous tournament’s implementation of an in-stadium beer ban last year in Qatar.
Financial details about the extensions to the “nearly 40-year partnership” were not disclosed.
The Women’s World Cup, which is being hosted by Australia and New Zealand, kicks off on 20 July and runs until 20 August. FIFA has not sold the television rights for the tournament yet to countries including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK with the organisation describing the offers submitted so far as “disappointing”. According to The Telegraph in the UK last week, “the bid from Italy’s broadcasters represents just 1% of what they paid for the men’s World Cup“.
The next men’s World Cup, meanwhile, will also be co-hosted, by Canada, Mexico and the US, with the competition extended from the current 32 international teams to 48, resulting in 104 matches in total.
Last month, AB InBev posted a strong start to 2023 as first-quarter sales came in 13.5% up on the corresponding three months a year earlier.
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