GENEVA (AP) — Budweiser brewer AB InBev is set to end Heineken’s three-decade-long run as the official beer sponsor of soccer’s Champions League in a statement deal for the competition’s new global sales agent Relevent.
Exclusive talks with AB InBev will begin for a six-year deal starting in 2027, said UC3, the joint business venture between Champions League organizer UEFA and the increasingly influential European Football Clubs (EFC) group.
The potential deal would be global and cover all UEFA men’s club competitions for six seasons, UC3 said in a statement. It would likely be worth close to 200 million euros ($232 million) each season.
“Our selection by UC3 reflects our commitment to football and our mega-platform strategy,” AB InBev said in a statement. "We look forward to becoming a great partner to UC3 for years to come.”
It's the first major deal lined up by Relevent since it was picked this year by the EFC group and UEFA to drive up the value of commercial deals and raise prize money for hundreds of clubs who enter the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League each season.
The target is at least 5 billion euros ($5.8 billion) in gross revenue each season from 2027. Current gross revenue is at least 4.4 billion euros ($5.1 billion), which pays almost 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) into the prize fund shared by the 36 Champions League teams.
AB InBev sealing a Champions League deal would add soccer’s prized club competition to its longstanding World Cup partnership with FIFA and a multi-Olympics deal with the IOC that started last year in Paris. It includes the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games and was extended through Brisbane in 2032.
Heineken’s beer brands have had exclusive Champions League rights since 1994 and the Netherlands brewer’s latest renewal expires in 2027. It was closely tied to UEFA’s longtime Switzerland-based sales agency TEAM Marketing which has been dropped in favor of Relevent.
The influential clubs group that rebranded this month as EFC was known to want a more dynamic commercial program and for Relevent to drive higher value deals that would help pay clubs more.
Still, Heineken has a reputation as one of the more lucrative Champions League deals, likely paying more than 100 million euros ($115 million) per season.
Dropping Heineken from the competition after 33 years also will be seen by other long-term Champions League backers, which include Sony, PepsiCo and Mastercard.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
PSG's Desire Doue celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Paris Saint-Germain in Leverkusen, Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Juventus in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't scoring the way he usually does, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still winning the way they normally do.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, averaged 31.1 points during the regular season. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he is averaging 20 points and taking only 14 shots per game.
Oklahoma City has still won the first two games by an average of 18 points. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points, and the defending champion Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night.
Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of injured Jalen Williams, is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting in the series for Oklahoma City.
“I think the coaching staff does a good job at just getting all of us ready,” said Mitchell, a second-year guard. "And we have a lot of competitors. Like, everyone’s a competitor on our team. So every time the lights are bright, everyone’s ready to go.”
Holmgren is the leading scorer for the Thunder in the best-of-seven series with 23 points per game. The 2026 All-Star also is averaging 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers, barely played in the first round against Phoenix but has averaged 15 points and made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the series.
“He goes in there, stays in character, stays aggressive," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He’s going to shoot the next shot. He makes the right plays, plays inside the team. He competes defensively, has had good defensive possessions for us. And he was huge tonight. You need that in a playoff series.”
The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.
Los Angeles guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.
With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander's follow through. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.
Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.
The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth.
“It was amazing," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games. And we've proven that. They’ve proven that no matter who’s on the floor, they know how to get the job done. And they just did it again tonight."
The Lakers cut Oklahoma City's lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.
Los Angeles will host Game 3 on Saturday.
“We just stuck with it,” Holmgren said. “It’s the game of basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s about how you respond. And this team has proven many times that we know how to respond. And we did so tonight.”
This story has been corrected to show that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20, not 19, points per game against the Lakers.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, front, works for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves, rear, defends in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James stands on the court in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton (5) and LeBron James, rear, in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) works to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
