US-based sports marketing agency Relevent has been appointed to exclusively market the commercial rights to UEFA’s national team competitions for the 2028 to 2036 cycle, ousting long-term incumbent CAA Eleven and significantly expanding its existing footprint in European soccer.
The high-profile agreement follows a competitive tender process conducted by European soccer’s governing body, which drew bids from several leading international sports marketing agencies. According to UEFA, Relevent demonstrated a deep understanding of its strategic objectives during an extensive evaluation process, presenting what the confederation described as a compelling vision for the commercial development of its national team properties.
Under the terms of the comprehensive agreement, Relevent’s extensive remit will cover media, sponsorship, and licensing rights, alongside account management and other associated commercial services. The contract spans two editions of the men’s UEFA European Championship in 2032 and 2036, as well as the UEFA Nations League and the European qualifiers for both the Euros and the FIFA World Cup.
Beyond the men’s game, industry sources indicate that Relevent’s responsibilities will extend to the women’s international calendar. The agency is set to oversee media rights sales for the Women’s Euros in 2029 and 2033, while also taking on sponsorship and licensing rights for UEFA’s women’s national team properties starting from the 2030/31 season. That transition will occur once the governing body’s current agreement with Two Circles officially expires.
The appointment marks a watershed moment for European soccer administration, bringing an end to CAA Eleven’s long tenure as the exclusive marketing and sales agency for UEFA’s national team competitions. By the conclusion of the current commercial cycle, that relationship will have surpassed the 15-year mark.
CAA Eleven has held the role since 2012, when UEFA’s member nations first voted to centralize the sale of national team commercial rights. The agency was originally established in Nyon, Switzerland—the home of the confederation’s headquarters—by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) specifically to service the UEFA account.
Acknowledging the historic partnership, UEFA issued a statement expressing its appreciation for the agency’s dedicated service. The governing body stated that it would like to take the opportunity to thank CAA Eleven for the trusted partnership forged since 2012, while expressing deep gratitude to the company’s staff for their dedication and continued commitment to UEFA national team football.
Industry observers note that Relevent successfully secured the lucrative new contract largely on the strength of its performance since taking over as the exclusive global sales agency for UEFA’s men’s club competitions, including the prestigious UEFA Champions League. Relevent assumed that role from Team Marketing, another longstanding UEFA agency partner, after striking a landmark deal with the governing body last year.
Relevent manages its club competition commercial rights through a purpose-built subsidiary known as Relevent Football Partners (RFP). That subsidiary has already delivered significant media rights increases for the 2027 to 2033 cycle across Europe’s major five domestic markets, as well as various other territories across Europe and Latin America.
To achieve these financial uplifts, the agency launched simultaneous broadcast tenders in several major soccer markets specifically designed to attract global streaming platforms and stimulate intense market competition. This strategy yielded notable successes, such as Paramount+ securing rights in key markets including the UK and Germany.
Furthermore, Relevent revamped the sponsorship program for the upcoming cycle, introducing structural changes that allow major brands to commit to extended six-year deals. This modernized approach has already delivered substantial financial uplifts from agreements with prominent global brands, including Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Driven by these commercial successes, UEFA is currently on track to exceed €5 billion in annual commercial revenue for its men’s club competitions. The governing body will undoubtedly be hoping that Relevent can replicate that impressive revenue generation for its national team properties.
According to UEFA’s most recent financial reports, cumulative media rights and sponsorship sales for tournaments such as the Nations League and European qualifiers are projected to generate approximately €3 billion for the 2022 to 2028 cycle. Meanwhile, Euro 2024 proved to be a massive commercial engine on its own, delivering €1.4 billion in broadcast revenue alongside €619.9 million from commercial income.
Reflecting on the milestone, Relevent chief executive Boris Gartner described the addition of the national team rights as a defining moment for the company. He noted that these competitions are among the most storied and widely followed properties in sports worldwide, representing the agency’s continued commitment to investing deeply in the growth and development of European football. Gartner expressed gratitude to UEFA for its ongoing trust and emphasized the company’s focus on delivering commercial outcomes that accurately reflect the scale, quality, and immense cultural significance of the tournaments.
Relevent will assume responsibility for the national team commercial brief under circumstances that closely mirror its entry into the club competition space, which coincided with the introduction of the new Champions League format. Similarly, international football is undergoing significant structural reform.
Starting from the 2028/29 season, the UEFA Nations League will transition from its traditional four leagues down to three leagues consisting of 18 teams each. These leagues will be divided into three groups of six teams, with each team playing six matches against five different opponents.
In addition, the qualification formats for both the Euros and the World Cup are shifting toward a tiered structure. These changes will incorporate elements of the Swiss system already implemented across UEFA’s club competitions, with the overarching objective of creating greater competitive balance, elevating the sporting stakes, and increasing the frequency of high-profile matches between top-tier European nations.
