Adidas extends Uefa sponsorship for Euro 2008

LONDON - Adidas has struck a multimillion-pound deal with football body Uefa to continue its sponsorship of the European football championships, taking official sponsorship of Euro 2008.

The deal will also mean that Adidas will become the official ball supplier of the Uefa Champions League until 2009.

The sponsorship deal for Euro 2008, which takes place in Austria and Switzerland from June 7-29 2008, will include global sponsorship and licensing rights, while the deal to supply the official match ball will include all Uefa Champions League matches for the seasons 2006 to 2009.

In a new and unique arrangement, Adidas will supply the standard and bad weather balls for all 32 clubs taking part in the Uefa Champions League group stages starting from the 2006/2007 season. The contract will also include supplying a special match ball for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Uefa Champions League Finals.

Lennart Johansson, Uefa president, said: "For Uefa, this partnership means that we are in the fortunate position to be working with one of the top brands in football. 

"We are very pleased therefore to have concluded the contracts with Adidas for both our top national team and our top club competitions."

Adidas will also have the rights to design and market exclusive Uefa Champions League-branded sportswear.

The sponsorship deal also includes an extended relationship with Uefa over a further 11 events, including major tournaments such as the Uefa European Under-21 Championship in 2007 and 2009 and the Uefa European Women's Championship in 2009.

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