Welcome to Insider Sport‘s latest edition of the Partnership Playbook, where we bring you the details on some of the latest sports partnerships and sponsorships.
This week, basketball’s cultural pull drives a new global deal as Sprite enters the EuroLeague, while Inter Miami and adidas double down on a long-term relationship tied to the club’s next phase of growth at its new stadium.
Elsewhere, brands continue to lean into experiential activation, with FedEx taking its Champions League tour to Barcelona, alongside media rights expansion in Canada and Arsenal adding to its global partner portfolio.
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Sprite enters EuroLeague with multi-season partnership
Euroleague Basketball has secured a new global sponsorship with The Coca-Cola Company, which will see Sprite become an Official Partner of the competition from the 2026–27 season.
The agreement marks Sprite’s first formal tie-up with Europe’s premier basketball competition and comes as the sport continues to expand its cultural and commercial footprint across the region. The brand will also activate early, appearing during the 2026 EuroLeague Final Four in Athens.
Plans include premium, access-led experiences such as meet-and-greets with players, behind-the-scenes access to teams, and opportunities for fans to interact with the EuroLeague trophy.
Michael Willeke, Vice President, Marketing, said: “Basketball is more than a sport. It’s a powerful force in culture, shaping how people connect through music, style, self-expression and community.”
Sprite has always stood for fresh perspectives, and we see basketball as a space where culture isn’t just consumed, it’s cocreated. Through our partnership with Euroleague Basketball, we will celebrate the voices, creators and communities that unlock fresh energy, new connections and experiences keeping basketball culture moving forward.”
The deal will also deliver visibility for Sprite across EuroLeague’s digital ecosystem and in-arena inventory, including on-court branding and advertising placements, aligning with the league’s strategy to partner with globally recognised brands.
Gawain Davies, Chief Commercial Officer at Euroleague Basketball, added: “This partnership with Sprite represents an exciting milestone for Euroleague Basketball. Partnering with one of the world’s most iconic brands reinforces the global appeal of the EuroLeague and reflects our commitment to collaborating with partners that share our ambition to continue growing the competition.”
Inter Miami and adidas extend partnership into ‘new era’ at Nu Stadium
Inter Miami CF has agreed a new five-year partnership extension with adidas, reinforcing a relationship that dates back to the club’s inception and aligning with its next phase of growth centred around the opening of Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park.
The renewed deal elevates Inter Miami into adidas’ top tier of global club partnerships, reflecting the MLS side’s rising commercial profile and international reach.
As part of the agreement, adidas will secure a significant retail and brand presence within Nu Stadium, including a two-storey, 11,000 sq ft official club store featuring a dedicated adidas ‘shop-in-shop’ experience. The brand will also integrate across in-stadium signage, pre-season tours, social media and the wider Miami Freedom Park district.
Xavier Asensi, Inter Miami’s President of Business Operations, said the extension supports both organisations’ ambition to “advance fútbol culture and expression worldwide,” while adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden described the club as “one of the anchors for growing soccer in America.”
The partnership builds on strong commercial performance to date, with Inter Miami’s adidas kit among the best-selling globally, and signals a continued focus on retail, fan experience and brand-led activations as the club enters a new stadium era.
FedEx takes Champions League fan activation to Barcelona
FedEx has expanded its UEFA Champions League “Move Like a Pro” tour to Barcelona, delivering a large-scale fan engagement activation as part of its wider European sponsorship strategy.
Hosted at Westfield La Maquinista, the activation centred around a custom-built FedEx vehicle featuring an expandable trailer, LED lighting and a climate-controlled interior. The installation was designed to immerse fans in a Champions League-themed experience, reinforcing the brand’s core values of speed, precision, reliability and teamwork.
The Barcelona stop also included appearances from former FC Barcelona and Champions League winner Ludovic Giuly, alongside football creator Xntonio, with fans invited to take part in a series of skill-based challenges.
Kaat Vanderheyde, Managing Director Brand & Communications at FedEx Express, said: “The Move Like a Pro activation is all about bringing fans closer to the game they love. We’re proud to give UEFA Champions League supporters across Europe the chance to experience the thrill of competition and test themselves against the best.”
The tour will continue across major European locations before culminating at the UEFA Champions League Final in Budapest on 30 May.
CSME secures UWCL rights for Canadian audience
Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) has acquired the Canadian media rights to the UEFA Women’s Champions League through a new multi-year agreement with UC3, strengthening its position in the country’s growing football media landscape.
The deal forms part of CSME’s wider strategy to build a centralised soccer content ecosystem, linking domestic and international competitions while placing Canadian players at the forefront of its coverage. Rights will be sub-licensed to OneSoccer, which will broadcast the remainder of the 2025–26 tournament, beginning with the quarter-finals on 24 March.
The agreement comes as Canadian internationals feature prominently across Europe’s top clubs, with players such as Olivia Smith (Arsenal), Vanessa Gilles (Bayern München) and Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea) competing in the latter stages of the competition.
Arsenal partners with HFM to expand global reach
Arsenal Football Club has announced a new multi-year agreement with online trading platform HFM, which joins the club as an Official Global Partner as it looks to strengthen its international commercial footprint.
The deal will see HFM gain a broad package of rights, including matchday branding at Emirates Stadium and visibility across Arsenal’s digital channels. The partnership also includes access to club marketing assets and players, with plans to develop fan-facing content and experiences later this season.
Juliet Slot, Arsenal’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We’re delighted to welcome HFM as an Official Partner of Arsenal. They are a market leader in their field with a strong focus on innovation and long-term success and support our ambition to win major trophies.”
Efthymios Mesis, Chief Marketing Officer at HFM, added: “This partnership marks an exciting milestone for HFM as we align with one of football’s most iconic clubs. Trading and elite sporting performance are both driven by strategic thinking, resilience and the ability to perform under pressure.”
In other news
- Valencia CF have agreed a partnership with Cabify, which becomes an official sponsor with branding at the club’s stadium.
- Fulham Football Club have entered a multi-year partnership with AI platform Harvey, which becomes the club’s official legal AI partner.
- AFC Bournemouth have agreed a five-year kit supply deal with hummel starting from the 2026/27 season.
- The Real Federación Española de Fútbol has secured a partnership with Telefónica’s Movistar, which becomes the official telecommunications operator of the men’s, women’s and youth national teams until 2030.
