European soccer's governing body UEFA has extended its commercial relationship with Chinese electronics brand Hisense – but only to cover the 2028 men's European Championship national team tournament.
This represents a downgrade in terms of sponsorship inventory for Hisense, which for just over a decade has been a sponsor of all UEFA's various men's national team competitions.
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The last partnership between UEFA and Hisense was unveiled in September 2023, and runs through until the end of 2026. It is valued at over $31 million annually.
In total, the company's relationship with UEFA has stretched across the men's Euros in 2016, 2021, and 2024.
The 2028 edition will be held across England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland.
Aside from its relationship with UEFA, Hisense has also been a sponsor of the last three editions of the FIFA World Cup – in 2018, 2022, and 2026.
The last such tie-up, through which Hisense sponsored the World Cup held earlier this year across Mexico, the US, and Canada, was unveiled last November.
Elsewhere, UEFA has brought in global workwear brand Strauss as the first-ever official partner of the UEFA Refereeing division, in an agreement running through 2028-29.
This tie-up entails the Strauss logo being present on the sleeves of UEFA referees' kits, with the deal extending across all major UEFA national team and club competitions.
That element of the partnership gets underway in time for the start of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League next week.
The agreement will also cover Euro 2028, the Women's Euros in 2029, and the full array of club competitions, including the Women's Champions League.
Starting in 2027-28, meanwhile, Strauss' presence on match officials' kits will extend to the backs of training and stadium jackets.
The deal will also include exclusive fan experiences and activations.
In terms of its previous UEFA tie-ups, Strauss has been a sponsor of the second-tier Europa League and third-tier Conference League men's club competitions since 2021, and was also a commercial partner of Euro 2024 in Germany.
Outside European soccer, meanwhile, Strauss is also a sponsor of Major League Baseball in North America, through a late-2024 deal.
This deal comes a day after UEFA unveiled a new tie-up with Chinese consumer electronics powerhouse Haier to cover its men's club competitions for the next four seasons.
