UEFA considers ending a 25-year tradition in the Champions League

The UEFA Champions League could soon experience a significant shift related to one of the competition's most iconic elements, the playing ball.

For the past 25 years, the Champions League match ball has been produced by Adidas. However, according to reports from The Athletic, this partnership could be nearing its end. UEFA is seeking to increase revenue from this iconic equipment category, and that could lead to a competition among several major sportswear brands to secure the right to supply the official ball for the tournament.

Adidas rivals such as Nike and Puma are believed to be among the brands interested in placing their logo on the Champions League ball in the future.

Additionally, the contract for producing balls for the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League with sportswear company Decathlon is also nearing expiration. This could lead to other brands joining the race to appear on the match balls used in midweek European football under stadium lights.

According to The Athletic, this change could occur as early as the 2027/28 season. Through partners Relevent Football and UC3, the organization connecting UEFA and the European Club Association, the European football governing body is expected to open a tender package for the match ball production rights for all three continental club competitions.

This process will allow sportswear companies to submit proposals to compete for the prestigious equipment supply rights. UEFA could also bundle the ball production rights for the three competitions together or sell them separately to maximize revenue. Nevertheless, Adidas is expected to strive to defend its position as the official ball supplier for the Champions League.

Meanwhile, Puma is demonstrating significant ambition by seeking to secure rights from larger rivals, similar to what they achieved with the Premier League recently. Previously, Nike produced balls for the English Premier League from the 2000/01 season, but in 2023, the Premier League confirmed that Puma would replace Nike starting from the 2025/26 season.

Although Puma's new ball for the Premier League sparked controversy, it still generated considerable attention from fans. Currently, the sportswear brand also supplies match balls for Serie A, Ligue 1, and the Copa América.