UEFA Awards Relevent Sports Exclusive Commercial Rights for National Team Competitions Through 2036

The 2032 and 2036 UEFA European Championships, along with the Nations League, will have their commercial futures steered by a Miami-backed agency. UEFA announced on Tuesday that it has awarded Relevent Sports the exclusive mandate to market and sell its national team competition rights for the 2028 to 2036 cycle.[1]

The eight-year agreement effectively consolidates European soccer's massive commercial portfolio under one American roof. Relevent, founded by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, already secured a separate six-season deal last year to manage UEFA's men's club competitions—including the Champions League and Europa League—from the 2027-28 season through 2032-33.[1]

Relevent ousted incumbent CAA Eleven, the Swiss-based agency created by Creative Artists Agency in 2012 specifically to service UEFA's international tournaments. CAA Eleven will continue to manage the national team portfolio through the conclusion of Euro 2028 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, capping a 15-year run that centralized the sale of international rights for the first time.[1][2]

The new mandate covers global media, sponsorship, and licensing rights for the men's Euros, the Nations League, and the European qualifiers for both the Euros and the FIFA World Cup. Relevent will also take on sponsorship and licensing for UEFA's women's national team properties starting in the 2030-31 season, succeeding current partner Two Circles.[2]

UEFA stated the appointment followed a competitive tender process that drew bids from several leading international sports marketing agencies. The governing body noted that Relevent offered a compelling vision for commercial development, with a particular focus on optimizing financial returns for UEFA's 55 member associations.[3]

"We are confident that with their expertise and innovative ideas we will further develop the commercial programme for UEFA's national team competitions," UEFA Deputy General Secretary Zoran Lakovic said in a statement. Lakovic emphasized that the partnership will help generate critical additional value across the continent.

The transition marks a remarkable institutional ascent for Relevent, which launched in 2013 by promoting the International Champions Cup preseason exhibition tournament in the United States. The agency previously clashed with the soccer establishment, filing a 2019 antitrust lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation and FIFA over the right to host official foreign league matches in America.[1]

Relevent formally released FIFA from that legal action in 2024, a diplomatic thaw that preceded its sweeping acquisition of UEFA's commercial inventory. The agency's dedicated subsidiary, Relevent Football Partners, has already begun reshaping the club competition landscape by introducing simultaneous broadcast tenders to lure global streaming companies.[1][2]

"Representing the commercial rights for UEFA's national team competitions in addition to the men's club competitions is a defining moment for our company," Relevent CEO Boris Gartner said. Gartner emphasized the agency's commitment to delivering commercial outcomes that reflect the scale and cultural significance of European international soccer.[2]

The financial stakes for the upcoming cycle are massive. According to UEFA's recent financial reports, media rights and sponsorship sales for tournaments like the Nations League and qualifiers are projected to generate €3 billion ($3.2 billion) for the current 2022 to 2028 cycle, while Euro 2024 alone delivered €1.4 billion in broadcast revenue and €619.9 million from commercial income.[2]