Beer brand Budweiser has renewed its ties with English football’s FA Cup less than a year after ending its three-season stint as lead sponsor of the knockout club competition.
Budweiser will serve as the official beer partner of the FA Cup from the ongoing tournament through until 2018 under a new three-year agreement.
The partnership extends the Budweiser Club Futures programme, which has invested £1m (€1.3/$1.5) into non-league football in the UK over the past two seasons with the support of the Football Association and the League Manager’s Association.
The FA said that Budweiser will make another major football-based announcement within the next month.
Nick Robinson, the UK marketing director of Budweiser’s parent company AB InBev, said: “Budweiser was proud and excited to sponsor the world’s oldest and most famous domestic cup competition and had three fantastic seasons doing so. Such was the success of the partnership in reaching our fans and those sharing a passion for the beautiful game, we wanted to continue to celebrate and extend Budweiser’s relationship with the FA Cup through this deal.”
FA commercial director Stuart Turner added: “This is fantastic news for the FA Cup. We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with Budweiser with a new package of rights tailored to their business needs. After three successful years as lead partner for the competition, their continued commitment is testament to the global appeal of the Cup and its ability to engage with fans around the world.”
The FA Cup resumes this weekend with its quarter-final round, as Manchester United hosts Arsenal in the standout fixture.