Budweiser inks biggest beer partnership deal in English soccer association history
By Brian Feldt
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Budweiser is now the official beer partner of England's men's national soccer team as the King of Beers signed the largest such deal in The Football Association's history.
Budweiser is replacing Carlsberg, which had served as the official beer of the team for the last 22 years but will see its contract expire after this year's World Cup.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, beyond the FA saying it was the biggest in its 154-year history.
Budweiser will also be the official beer at Wembley Stadium and has renewed its sponsorship of The Emirates FA Cup.
The new deal will include a significant investment by A-B InBev, Budweiser's parent company, to upgrade the fan experience at Wembley Stadium. Since 2012, Budweiser has invested nearly $2 million directly into English football through various initiatives.
"Football is more than just a game or our national sport – it is a huge part of our culture, one of our favourite forms of entertainment and one of the best ways to bring people together," said Jason Warner, A-B InBev president of its North Europe division, in a statement. "This is why Budweiser and football have enjoyed a natural affinity for many years and why we’re pleased to strengthen our role in some of the nation’s biggest cultural moments through our FA partnership and presence at Wembley Stadium, one of the world’s most iconic entertainment venues."
Budweiser has seen its global market share gradually decrease from 7.6 percent in 2013 to 6.2 percent in 2017, according to data from Beer Marketer's Insights.
Budweiser is the fastest-growing product of 2017 in U.K. supermarkets, according to DrinksRetailing.com, which reported sales rose $67.8 million in the past year for AB InBev’s lager.
The new partnership will begin at the start of the 2018-2019 season.
