The official beer of the Paris Olympics will be alcohol-free, according to the brewer that will be the official sponsor of the next three Games.
Anheuser-Busch InBev on Friday was named a Worldwide Olympic Partner, the highest level of Olympic sponsorship, for Paris 2024 as well as the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois said that its alcohol-free Corona Cero would be the official beer of the Paris Games.
The company declined to disclose the value of the deal.
As drinks companies globally try to adapt to consumers curbing their alcohol consumption, AB InBev said that spotlighting Corona Cero at the Olympics is part of its efforts towards “responsible alcohol consumption and moderation worldwide”.
It’s not the first time an alcohol-free beer has sponsored a sporting event: Diageo promoted Guinness 0.0 at last year’s Six Nations rugby tournament.
But booze is still central to many events. At the 2022 football World Cup in Qatar, some fans were disappointed by a last-minute ban on the sale of alcohol in stadiums, hurting Budweiser.
The beer of the LA Games, Michelob ULTRA, does contain alcohol but is a “light” beer with a 3.5% alcohol content, AB InBev said.
The luxury goods conglomerate LVMH is also a Paris Olympics sponsor, signing a deal last year expected to cost around €150 million, under which Moet Hennessy champagnes and spirits will be provided as part of hospitality programmes at the Games.
AB InBev joins global companies including AirBnb, Alibaba, Coca-Cola, P&G, Toyota and Visa as top-tier Olympic sponsors.
The top-tier sponsorship programme has jumped in value in recent years, generating $2.3 billion in revenue for the International Olympic Committee over the 2017-21 period including the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and delayed Summer Olympics in Tokyo.