UEFA extend Europa League ball partnership

UEFA have extended their association with Japan-based sports equipment manufacturer Molten across its 2021-24 sponsorship cycle for the Europa League and the new Europa Conference League which will start next season.

The company began as the match ball supplier to the Europa League at the start of the 2018-19-2020-21 cycle.

The current ball supplier for the top-tier Champions League is Adidas, though an extension for the 2021-24 cycle has yet to be announced.

In December 2019, UEFA issued tenders in the sport’s ball category for its men’s competitions for the 2021-24 commercial cycle, to be managed by its exclusive marketing agency, Team Marketing.

An extension was issued in November 2020 for companies to express interest in taking up sponsorship packages for the Europa League and the Conference League, which are being sold together, with a deadline of December 2 issued.

Molten now becomes the second brand to be confirmed as a sponsor of the two competitions for the 2021-24 cycle.

At the time of the November extension, Heineken had already secured its package for the events, whilst two other sponsors had had their offers accepted. Uefa said that it has received two more offers from parties interested in the remaining Europa League and Conference League sponsorship packages.