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PepsiCo and UEFA Extend Partnership: A New Era for Women's Football Begins

In April 2025, UEFA and PepsiCo proudly announced the extension of their strategic partnership in women’s football through 2030. This renewed agreement goes far beyond traditional sponsorship deals—it marks a bold new chapter for the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the broader ecosystem of women’s football across Europe. The American FMCG giant aims not only to boost brand visibility but to create tangible value for the sport, its fans, and society as a whole.

From visibility to engagement: PepsiCo's 2030 vision

PepsiCo’s renewed agreement with UEFA covers the full women’s football portfolio, including the UEFA Women’s Champions League, UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Switzerland, European qualifiers, the UEFA Women’s Futsal EURO, and the UEFA Women’s Under-19 and Under-17 Championships.

Since first partnering with UEFA in 2020, PepsiCo—through brands like Lay’s, Gatorade, and Pepsi—has focused on awareness and visibility. The extension through 2030 represents a clear strategic shift: from passive sponsorship to active brand participation, with fan engagement, inclusivity, and entertainment now at the heart of the strategy.

Entertainment as a lever: pre-match shows and immersive formats

One of the most headline-worthy elements of the new partnership is the introduction of pre-match concerts at UEFA Women’s Champions League finals, inspired by similar formats PepsiCo pioneered on the men’s side. The first of these will take place in Bilbao on 25 May 2025.

In addition, PepsiCo plans to introduce immersive entertainment experiences starting from the quarter-finals stage, aiming to elevate the fan experience both in stadiums and across digital platforms. “We want to do more than promote women’s football—we want to embed it in culture,” said Adam Warner, PepsiCo’s Head of Global Sports Marketing.

Equity at the elite level

With this renewed deal, UEFA continues its commitment to gender equity in commercial value creation. According to UEFA’s marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein, the decision to separate commercial rights for women’s football in 2018 has resulted in “exponential growth” in sponsorship, visibility, and audience engagement.

“The renewed partnership with PepsiCo reflects our shared mission to professionalize and elevate women’s football globally,” Epstein explained.

Beyond commerce: social responsibility and grassroots support

Beyond branding and entertainment, PepsiCo continues to invest in social impact initiatives. The partnership includes commitments to sustainability, diversity, and youth development. PepsiCo has supported UEFA’s ‘Together #WePlayStrong’ campaign, which encourages female participation in football.

In the new cycle, from 2025 to 2030, the company will scale up these efforts across Europe, working with local football associations to implement education and grassroots programs on a broader scale.

Strategic value for PepsiCo

For PepsiCo, this is a long-term investment in one of the most promising growth segments in global sport. Women’s football is breaking records in TV viewership, attendance, and sponsor interest. For brands like Lay’s and Gatorade, it offers a young, diverse, and highly engaged audience—a perfect fit for their positioning.

By merging entertainment, inclusion, and purpose, PepsiCo sets itself apart in an increasingly crowded sports sponsorship landscape.

Conclusion: more than a sponsor—part of the movement

This extension through 2030 makes it clear: PepsiCo and UEFA are no longer treating this as a transactional deal. It’s a shared cultural and social project. Through creativity, innovation, and meaningful investment, PepsiCo positions itself not just as a sponsor of women’s football—but as a driving force behind its next phase of global growth.

Women’s football is no longer niche. It’s a fully-fledged stage for sport and strategy. And PepsiCo is leading from the front.

Sources: SportsPro, SportsBusiness, UEFA, AP news