Sponsorship remains key in supporting the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) in maintaining its global status of hosting the most prestigious club competitions in soccer. These partnerships are the most lucrative on offer and contribute to ensuring the Champions League maintains its status. For the 2023 season, the UEFA Champions League accumulated $606.3 million in sponsorship revenue, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “UEFA European Club Competition Finals 2023 – Post Event Analysis,” reveals that UEFA’s second and third-tier competitions, the Europa League (UEL) and the Europa Conference League (UECL), generated approximately $314 million for the 2023 season, emphasising their popularity. The UEL and UECL’s biggest partner, which doesn’t include a deal with the Champions League, is  Hankook, worth $17.5 million annually.

Joe Pacinella, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The Champions League allows the brands partnering with it to take advantage of the global exposure that comes with such a high-value sponsorship deal. Nine of the Champions League’s 14 sponsors are worth over $40 million annually, highlighting the high price for brands to partner with the competition and demonstrating how worthwhile the exposure is.”

The Champions League’s deal with Heineken offers a huge source of revenue for the competition and resonates with fans as many associate soccer matches with drinking beer. The Dutch beer company has partnered with the competition since 2002 through Heineken’s Amstel brand, illustrating the longevity of the partnership which has helped both parties build international recognition through TV and in-stadia advertising.

Oppo, the Chinese smartphone brand, is a global sponsor of the Champions League, aiming to increase their brand awareness outside of China and Asia, whilst utilizing fan engagement by granting fans opportunities to experience Champions League matches pitch-side.

Pacinella adds: “Deals with Turkish Airlines, PlayStation and Expedia also offer a huge source of revenue for the Champions League, all worth $60 million annually, and provide solid foundations for its operations.”

Hankook’s deal to sponsor the UEL and the UECL sees the Korean tire brand aim to increase its European footprint, while promoting UEFA’s second and third tier competitions in the Asian market, having been partnered with the UEL since 2012 and has sponsored the UECL since 2021.

Pacinella concludes: “Despite the huge commercial success of the Champions League, there is also high demand for UEFA’s second and third-tier competitions, with the UEL and the UECL’s sponsorship roster boasting an average deal value of $24.15 million annually. In soccer, UEFA’s three main club competitions are the most commercially dominant on the planet outside of the World Cup and the European Championship.”