As soccer viewership and fandom continue to grow throughout the U.S., Heineken is moving to bolster the overall soccer experience this year with momentum built around the 2018 FIFA World Cup and on the heels of the announcement that the U.S. will host the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.
“We’ve got some of the biggest soccer fans globally, and with rapid growth taking place right here in the U.S., continuing to invest in the sport by expanding the breadth and depth of our key partnerships is top priority,” said Felix Palau, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Heineken.
“Heineken is the number one beer brand associated with soccer in the United States and as our relationships with ICC and MLS continue to drive popularity and engagement, nothing makes us happier than bringing fans closer to the game they love, with Heineken in hand.”
Heineken recently extended its long-term partnership with Major League Soccer with a five-year renewal as the Official Beer of MLS, and will continue to sponsor Rivalry Week, which runs from Aug. 22 through Aug. 26. This year’s Rivalry Week includes national broadcasts of major rivalry games including NYCFC-New York Red Bulls, LA Galaxy-LAFC, Houston Dynamo-FC Dallas, Orlando City SC-Atlanta United and Portland Timbers-Seattle Sounders FC.
Heineken is the presenting sponsor and official beer of the International Champions Cup (ICC), the premier pre-season soccer tournament that brings the world’s best clubs to the U.S. This year, the Tournament will run from July 20 through Aug. 12 featuring 18 of the best clubs in the world playing 27 matches across the United States, Europe and Singapore.
The International Champions Cup Presented by Heineken will continue to captivate American fans and deliver on premise events, unique fan experiences, ticket giveaways, and digital content campaigns.