March 17 – UEFA has struck a landmark deal with Europe’s leading retailer the Schwarz Group which becomes the confederation’s first strategic Corporate Partner.
Described as a long-term agreement, the partnership breaks away from the traditional football sponsorship model of cash for brand exposure around major competitions. Instead focus will be on partnership and ‘strengthening European football through innovation, sustainability and social responsibility’.
Schwarz Group’s Lidl and PreZero will be the Schwarz Group brands leading the strategy.
It is a relationship that is targeted to get under the skin of the European confederation working with key initiatives away from the delivery of major events and the branding metrics of competition-driven marketing.
Lidl will contribute to social, educational and grassroots initiatives across Europe as a sponsor of UEFA Grassroots and UEFA Take Care. Lidl will also be the exclusive sponsor of UEFA Football in Schools, a programme that works across all 55 UEFA federations.
“Lidl will support projects that integrate balanced nutrition, physical activity and sport into children’s everyday lives,” said UEFA. “The partnership underlines the long-term contribution to participation, player development and health and well-being, while recognising grassroots as the foundation of the European football pyramid
UEFA and Lidl plan to launch a pan-European digital platform to support delivery of UEFA Football in Schools. The platform will combine football, education and healthy nutrition, offering practical guidance and online courses for teachers and coaches.
Lidl is already a sponsor of UEFA women’s national team competitions, as well as the Europa League and Conference League. As part of the new deal it will extend its sponsorship to UEFA men’s national team competitions until 2030. Lidl was an official partner of UEFA EURO 2024 as well as the two UEFA men’s club competitions. The sponsorship includes EURO 2028, to be staged in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland where it joins adidas, Atos, Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, Qatar Airways and Visit Qatar as official sponsors.
Jens Thiemer, Chief Customer Officer Lidl International, said: “We are further developing our collaboration with UEFA in such a targeted manner and are creating sustainable added value for society with the first strategic corporate partnership of UEFA. With the help of UEFA and the power of football, we bring our expertise in conscious nutrition to exactly where it makes a difference: to coaches, parents, and children in grassroots sports. After all, social change is not only decided in the stadium, but above all in the schoolyard and in local clubs.”
Schwarz Group’s PreZero will add expertise to UEFA’s sustainability strategy. An international circular economy company, PreZero will support scalable circular economy solutions across competitions, stadiums and organisational operations. Key objective are to reduce waste, optimise recycling systems and measure environmental performance through data-driven processes.
UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon will serve as a pilot site for certified circular standards, showcasing best practice for the wider football ecosystem.
The Schwarz Group is a leading global retailer and the largest in Europe, with more than 550,000 employees in 32 countries and about €175 billion in revenue (2025). It owns the Lidl and Kaufman supermarket chains, and operates a vertically integrated business, including Schwarz production (food), PreZero and and digital services like Stakit.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA executive director of marketing, said: “We are delighted to welcome the companies of Schwarz Group as our first strategic corporate partner. Together, we are combining our strengths to shape the future of European football in a sustainable, responsible and competitive way.
“Alongside Lidl, we will leverage the power of football to bring the passion for exercise and conscious nutrition beyond professional sports into grassroots sports. PreZero is the ideal partner to drive the transformation from a linear to a circular economy.”
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