PepsiCo renews UEFA Champions League partnership for the 2024-2027 cycle

UEFA has announced today that PepsiCo has renewed its UEFA Champions League partnership for the 2024–27 cycle. A competition sponsor since 2015 as well as a global sponsor of UEFA Women’s Football, PepsiCo is the first UEFA Champions League partner of the new three-year cycle.

The agreement aims to broaden the scope of the world's most-watched sports competition worldwide, enhance the fan experience and engagement, and promote sustainability initiatives. This extension will also have a positive societal impact, as PepsiCo plans to invest $1 million in projects supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children. Additionally, PepsiCo will contribute to environmental sustainability initiatives, including collaborative efforts to significantly reduce the use of single-use plastic packaging as part of the "Road to Zero" initiative.

“We are delighted to continue partnering with PepsiCo and their iconic brands for the next three-year cycle. Together, we will continue improving the fan experience in innovative ways and positively impact communities through the power of football around the world,” said UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.

“PepsiCo has a storied history with the world’s most beautiful game, and we’re delighted to renew our partnership with the UEFA Champions League to expand the reach and impact of football worldwide,” said Adam Warner, Head of Global Sports and Partnerships at PepsiCo. “For the past eight years, our global markets have delivered best-in-class activations, harnessing the combined power of the UEFA Champions League and PepsiCo iconic food and beverage brands. With the extension of our sponsorship, we will continue leveraging our portfolio to drive positive change to people and planet on and off the pitch.”

As a part of the agreement, PepsiCo will help deliver unmatched experiences for fans and is striving to expand the reach of the UEFA Champions League globally and doubling up activations in the United States and the Middle East.

UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi

The Kick Off Show by Pepsi, the must-see spectacle held moments before the UEFA Champions League final, will be scaled up. Since the Kick Off Show’s inauguration in 2016, Pepsi has brought live global musical artists to the world’s most watched annual sporting event, evolving the Final into a truly global entertainment platform for music as well as football.

Digital and data fan engagement 

PepsiCo and the UEFA Champions League will utilise each other’s database of fans to deliver bespoke experiences based on their unique preferences and behaviours across multiple digital touchpoints in order to take digital and data engagement to the next level and continue to capture new growth channels.

Fuelling teams 

Gatorade is committed to fuelling teams, coaches and referees on the sidelines with hydration products and equipment. Gatorade will also provide extensive hydration and sports nutrition resources through the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) to help players maximise their performance.

Additionally, PepsiCo and UEFA will work together to use the world’s most popular sport to drive important societal action.

Event sustainability 

At the 2023 UEFA Champions League final and the 2023 UEFA Women’s Champions League final, PepsiCo and UEFA implemented innovative circular economy practices to minimise the impact of football on the environment and drive resource efficiencies. This included the adoption of returnable packaging solutions for food and drinks at the 2023 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final and the incorporation of recyclable and biodegradable fibre cups at the 2023 UEFA Champions League final, where a pilot fan sampling using 48,000 reusable and smart cups was implemented. These initiatives will pave the way on the “road to zero” to significantly reduce single-use plastic, with the aim of expanding this approach further within European football in the coming years. Circular economy practices were tested last season with several clubs that participated in the UEFA Champions League, which led to the creation of a database of best practices and the launch of the UEFA Circular Economy Guidelines. The latter have an initial focus on food and beverage and will be complemented later this year with guidance on energy and water, apparel and football equipment, and event materials.

Lay’s Replay 

Lay’s RePlay is a global initiative created in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children, that gives deserving communities access to football pitches made from recycled Lay’s potato chip bags. To date, Lay’s RePlay has unveiled seven football pitches in South Africa, Brazil, the UK, the US, Italy, Egypt and Mexico with a potential monthly reach of 14,000 community members around the world. With a further four pitches in planning stages, Lay’s RePlay is set to span 10 countries with 11 pitches around the world.

Team of Champions 

With a $1 million commitment made over the past three years, PepsiCo has expanded its “Team of Champions” to improve access to football in underserved communities across the United States. The investment has helped teams with apparel and equipment costs, field access, mentoring, coaching and education and fan experiences.