The Premier League has made its first major signing of the summer, confirming Guinness as its new official beer partner in a deal worth more than £40m.
Guinness saw off competition from Heineken to replace Budweiser, which opted not to renew its contract as it scaled back its sponsorships in English football.
“We are delighted to partner with Guinness, the world’s leading stout, whose team have consistently demonstrated world-class creativity, innovation and community storytelling through its marketing in sports and more broadly,” said the Premier League’s chief commercial officer Will Brass.
“We are looking forward to sharing a long-term relationship that will enhance the Premier League football viewing occasion in pubs, bars and homes around the world, and bring to life the magic for which the Premier League is famous.”
This is the Diageo-owned stout brand’s first ever global football partnership, having previously been better known for its association with rugby union.
It remains the main partner of the men’s and women’s Six Nations and was title sponsor of the Premiership between 2005 and 2010.
Guinness global brand director Stephen O’Kelly said: “This partnership brings together two iconic global brands that are loved by communities all over the world, and we can’t wait to bring beautiful pints to the beautiful game.
“When the first ball is kicked off in August, Guinness will be building on its international legacy in sport with a new campaign reaching millions of fans, who follow and enjoy the Premier League in their own unique way across the globe.”
The Guinness deal is believed to be worth more than £10m a year and a significant uplift on the contract with Budweiser, which also dropped its sponsorship of the FA Cup last year.
“The Premier League is the world’s most popular football league, providing an amazing opportunity to continue the success of the Guinness brand globally and connect with new communities around the football occasion,” said Diageo Europe president John Kennedy.
“I’m particularly excited for the brand to build on the impressive growth that Guinness 0.0 has seen since its launch, and using our status as the official non-alcoholic beer of the Premier League to lay the foundations for further global roll-out around the world.”