Who sponsors Portugal’s soccer clubs In The Champions League

Although Portuguese players have significantly impacted the Champions League over the years, their domestic clubs have not had the same success. When football fans think of Portugal players, their minds jump to icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, and Eusebio. Although Porto and Benfica both have two Champions League titles, no team from Portugal has lifted Big Ears since 2004.

That’s not to say there isn’t big money in sponsorship. Benfica, Porto, and Sporting Lisbon are the three most significant names in Portuguese Primeira Liga. They have an international fanbase, and sponsors who can align themselves with these clubs stand to make good profit. Only Sporting Lisbon and Benfica are in this year’s Champions League as Portuguese football representatives, but between them, they have struck up deals with some of the biggest sponsors in football; let’s take a look.

Brands That Sponsor Benfica In Primeira Liga

Although Benfica is struggling in this year’s UEFA Champions League, it has the backing of some of the most prominent names and industries in European football sponsorship. Adidas has long-standing ties with the Lisbon-based giants but has deep roots in the casino industry, too, and has had multiple gambling sponsors over the years.

The rise of casino sponsorship in football is not a new phenomenon. It’s far more prevalent in English football, where all ranges of gambling companies offer sponsors, such as slot game designers. Casino games and slot designers have also made inroads in sponsoring other sports, not just football. Still, it speaks to the potential in the industry and how eager football teams are to open the door to slot game and casino sponsors. 

With expert slots review at Slotsjudge assisting gamers and giving them insight into which slots they believe are the highest-rated – the slot gaming industry continues to thrive and use sports sponsorship as a tool to grow. 

Benfica’s main shirt sponsorship deal is Emirates, the official airline. While the sponsorship might not be as lucrative as that with English Premier League giants Arsenal, it will last until 2029. 

Brands That Sponsor Sporting Lisbon

Sporting Lisbon currently have three main sponsors:

• Herbalife 
• Inetum
• Macron

They have also strayed into the world of gambling sponsorship, and Nike designs and distributes their kits and is the longstanding sponsor of the national football team as well. Cristiano Ronaldo still has a deep connection to the club that first gave him the platform to showcase his ability to the footballing world, resulting in a world record move to Real Madrid in 2009. While CR7 flirted with the idea of playing his last season with his hometown club, he has since stated he will likely end his career at his current club – Al Nassr:

“That’s why, most likely I can finish my career at Al Nassr. I’m very happy to play in the Arab League and I want to continue.”

Other Prominent Football Sponsor Deals In Portugal

Porto FC are another titan of Portuguese football that have a longstanding deal with Adidas. While they might not be in this year’s UEFA Champions League, they currently sit in second place in the Portuguese league. Clubs in Portugal have varying fortunes when it comes to sponsorship deals, and while the Big Three, including Porto, have a sizable reach, the rest of the league are often made to play second fiddle.

Portugal National Side Sponsors

The national side remains a hotly contested sponsorship battle, given that Cristiano Ronaldo is still leading the line for the national team. He is one of the most famous sportspeople on the planet, and continues to command a mindblowing reach on social media. 

Whether he will make it to the 2026 World Cup, when he will be 41, is another question, but for now Portuguese national team sponsorship is big money. Puma are the currently kit sponsors, and they work with the Portuguese football federation to design both the home and away kit. 

Final Thoughts about Portugal’s soccer clubs

Although the Big Three teams in Portuguese football, and the national team, all have a much broader marketing appeal than the rest of the Portuguese football league, this doesn’t mean that the market dries up once the main teams are locked into multi-year deals. The President of Portuguese football has stated several times that the health of Portuguese football relies just as much on the big teams, and superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, as it does at the grassroots level.

Sure, marketing will ultimately follow wherever the most money is, which is why the Puma Portugal contract, which runs until 2026, is one of the most lucrative in international football. Portugal’s appeal on the world stage continues to garner interest, especially after their Euro 2016 triumph.

It’s likely that big brands like Emirates and Binance will continue to hold influence in Portuguese football sponsorship, and with so much money at play in the modern game, it’ll be intriguing to see which companies attempt to pick up the baton and sponsor the likes of Benfica and Sporting Lisbon is their current sponsors are happy to see out their contracts.