The Belgian brewer and its Budweiser are back on the field, coming soon and returning to the World Cup.

In an official statement by FIFA, AB InBev will uphold its nearly 40-year partnership with the organisation. The company will sponsor the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 debut in Australia and New Zealand, as well as the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States.

FIFA Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai, remarked that FIFA’s successful renewal of its partnership with AB InBev would benefit the game and football development globally. Moreover, fans would experience increased excitement and creativity during the tournaments.

Returning to FIFA World Cup 2026, Budweiser will continue to be part of history as the tournament is the first to be co-hosted by three countries – Canada, Mexico, and the United States – with 48 participating teams playing across 16 cities.

The football organisation also reported the sale of over one million tickets for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, putting it on track to become the most attended standalone women’s sporting event ever.

2022 Budweiser Issue Irrelevant To FIFA World Cup 2026

Back in 2022, the World Cup in Qatar blindsided Budweiser due to a sudden change in regulations. Mere days prior to the tournament, the organisers of the World Cup disallowed visitors and fans from purchasing beer with alcohol – a move that put the brand in a tight spot as an official World Cup beer since 1986.

At the time, FIFA could not protect AB InBev from overwhelming pressure from Qatar in a potential contract breach. The dispute raised eyebrows as Qatar had agreed to honour all of FIFA’s commercial partners since it first started bidding in 2009 to host the tournament.

The move may have caused a drop in Budweiser’s then sales, but proved otherwise for the brand’s publicity and popularity. The 2026 World Cup renewal did not mention any past problems, indicating that the matter has been put to rest.