AB InBev becomes first global beer partner of the Olympics

AB InBev will become the Olympics first beer sponsor at the worldwide partner level, with a deal that will see it lead with its non-alcoholic beer, Corona Cero.

Corona Cero will be the official beer sponsor of the Olympic Games until 2028. It’s a deal that will span three Olympic games: the upcoming summer games in Paris this year, the Milan 2026 winter games, and the LA summer games in 2028. The deal also includes marketing rights for the Paralympic Games.

It’s the first time a beer brand has been a global partner sponsor of the games, something the company describes as a “step change” for the beer industry.

The Olympics Partners (TOP) programme is the highest level of Olympics sponsorship, with AB InBev joining the likes of Coca-Cola, Visa and P&G.

The choice of Corona Cero as the brand leading the partnership sees AB InBev spotlight “moderation”.

“Through this partnership, we expect Corona Cero to accelerate no-alcohol beer growth and highlight moderation,” says AB InBev CMO Marcel Marcondes.

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AB InBev, which owns brands including Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck’s, as well as Corona, says the latter is one of its fastest-growing global brands, and says its non-alcoholic version is also rapidly growing.

The business’s chief executive Michel Doukeris states its commitment to “accelerating progress” towards responsible and moderate consumption.

“Beer and sports are better together, so we are proud to be the first beer sponsor for the Olympics at the Worldwide Olympic Partner level,” he says. “Beer is the beverage of moderation and choice, and so it’s only fitting to lead with Corona Cero, for this occasion.”

AB InBev has a great deal of experience in sports sponsorship. It was the official beer sponsor of the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year and will be for the men’s tournament in 2026.

The brewer has worked in partnership with FIFA for almost four decades. The partnership was subject to some controversy in 2022, when the World Cup was held in Qatar.

A last-minute decision saw alcohol banned from stadiums in the tournament, meaning Budweiser, which had exclusivity to sell beer there, had to stick to selling Bud Zero at the venues.