Contract details
Start date:
End date:
Status:
1992
2014
Official partner
Leagues and Tournaments:
Ford and UEFA Champions League: A partnership overview
The partnership between Ford Motor Company and the UEFA Champions League began in 1992 and became one of the longest and most successful collaborations in sports marketing history. Over two decades, both Ford and UEFA experienced significant transformations, using this partnership as a platform to boost global interest in the tournament and the brand itself. Ford leveraged its association with the Champions League to launch and promote key vehicle models, aligning its brand with one of the world’s most prestigious football tournaments.
Renewal of the partnership
Ford and UEFA renewed their partnership several times, with the most recent renewal announced on 8 December 2011, extending the collaboration for the 2012–2015 seasons. As part of this renewal, Ford celebrated its 20th anniversary as a sponsor with the official title: “Ford, sponsor for 20 years.”
End of an Era
However, on 10 March 2014, UEFA announced that the upcoming 2014 Champions League Final in Lisbon would mark the end of the 21-year partnership between Ford and the UEFA Champions League.
Throughout their long-standing partnership, Ford leveraged the UEFA Champions League to introduce several key models to the European market. One notable example was the launch of the Ford Mondeo during the 1992/93 season. Over the following two decades, the UEFA Champions League sponsorship facilitated Ford’s introduction of iconic models such as the Ford S-MAX, Kuga, B-MAX, as well as newer generations of the Fiesta, Focus, and Mondeo. In the final years of the partnership, one highlight was Ford’s promotion of the all-new Ford Mustang, showcased at the 2014 Champions League Final in Lisbon.
The decision to end the sponsorship was driven by Ford’s strategic choice to reallocate the funds invested in the UEFA partnership toward launching new products in Europe. Their focus was primarily on introducing the Ford Mustang to the European market.
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