An elite brand of football: Why sponsors want to be involved in UEFA EURO 2024

Alipay+, Booking.com, Coca-Cola, Unilever – just a handful of the major global corporations that have chosen to partner with UEFA EURO 2024.

Europe's flagship international football competition attracts giants of the corporate world, significantly boosting the revenue UEFA has available to reinvest back into football, as well as providing fans with unique opportunities and the best possible EURO experience. What makes these leading brands want to be involved?

Being part of an iconic global sporting occasion

Football is the world's most popular sport, and football events don't get much bigger than the UEFA European Championship. For sponsors, it's the equivalent of prime real estate – not just a series of football matches, but an international event engaged with by millions, from football fanatics to complete newcomers.

"We are excited to be aligning our brand with such an iconic global sporting occasion," says Javier Meza, marketing senior vice-president at Coca-Cola in Europe, one of the official global sponsors of EURO 2024. "The magic of human connection comes to life through those shared passionate moments of anticipation and jubilation from fans and football players alike."

The UEFA EURO 2024 Trophy Tour at the Volksparkstadion in HamburgUEFA via Getty Images

A unique opportunity to connect with fans

Those moments offer a golden opportunity for brands to boost their visibility, engage with markets around the world and become household names. EURO 2024 is expected to attract a staggering cumulative live audience of around five billion, a level of global appeal that few occasions can match.

That engagement is significant, as underlined by Michael Shu, managing director of new-energy vehicle manufacturer BYD Europe. "BYD is proud to be the first e-mobility partner for this prestigious sports event, which will enable us to showcase our latest advancements in electric vehicles to a far-reaching audience," he explains.

An association with quality

The recognisability and world-class nature of the EURO mean brands compete to have their products and services associated with it. "Hisense is able to connect with consumers around the world through our sports sponsorships, with this a great way to build trust in our brand," says Fisher Yu, the president of UEFA men's national team football sponsor Hisense Group.

In turn, it means the EURO can attract sponsors and benefit from the products of leading brands such as Engelbert Strauss, the official workwear partner of the EURO, and vivo, which produces the official smartphone of the tournament.

A fan snaps the trophy with a VIVO phoneUEFA via Getty Images

Contributing to sustainability goals

Event sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) aims have been fundamental to the planning and organisation of EURO 2024, with sponsors eager to help achieve those goals. Lidl, for example, is promoting healthy living by offering fresh fruit at the fan zones and Coca-Cola will encourage fans to recycle their drink packaging, while BYD is providing a large fleet of electric vehicles. To encourage the use of public transport, Deutsche Bahn – one of five national sponsors – is offering discounts to ticket holders travelling by train in Germany, while match-ticket holders are entitled to a 36-hour free travel pass.

Opportunities to enhance the fan digital experience

UEFA wants to ensure that the EURO is as accessible and enjoyable as possible. Our broadcast and media partners provide coverage to hundreds of global markets, while our sponsors' expertise helps elevate the tournament's reach, with many also offering fans unique promotions and experiences.

Betano will provide fans with a premium betting platform, for example, while online marketplace AliExpress is the exclusive e-commerce platform partner for the EURO, offering fans exclusive discounts and deals. Technology partner Atos, a long-term partner for UEFA's men's national team competitions, will deliver IT services for the EURO, assisting event management and helping to distribute match data and statistics to broadcasters.

"We will work closely together with AliExpress to make the fan digital experience for this summer's spectacle as exciting as possible, bringing further innovations to football fans," says Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director. "The world is becoming more digitalised and, with Atos onboard as our technology partner, we are ensuring we will have all the necessary technological expertise to help deliver our competitions to the millions of fans around the globe."