The rumor mill is as soon as once more spinning round Germany’s most profitable soccer membership. After greater than 20 years of partnership with Audi, there’s a extremely speculative rumor that FC Bayern Munich may quickly see a brand new badge on its gamers’ firm automobiles — BMW. However whereas the hypothesis is gaining traction, no official transfer has been made, and any potential change continues to be years away.
Audi’s Longstanding Partnership and Attainable Exit
Audi has been a associate of FC Bayern Munich because the 2002/03 season and at the moment holds an 8.33% stake in FC Bayern München AG. The prevailing sponsorship deal runs till 2029, renewed simply 5 years in the past. Nevertheless, studies recommend that Audi, owned by Volkswagen Group, may rethink its long-term involvement. One purpose is the monetary pressure of balancing two high-profile sponsorships: its partnership with Bayern and its upcoming entry into System 1 in 2026 — a multi-billion-euro funding that’s set to grow to be Audi’s most vital advertising platform.
In keeping with BILD, Volkswagen reportedly finds it laborious to justify financing each tasks at full scale. With F1 looming massive on the horizon, pulling again from Bayern may unencumber assets for Audi’s racing ambitions.
BMW Ready within the Wings
It’s additionally not stunning that BMW may very well be thinking about stepping in — once more. The Munich-based automaker almost sealed a take care of Bayern again in 2019. Each events had already signed a letter of intent earlier than talks collapsed as a result of unknown causes. Regardless of that setback, BMW has since established a foothold with the membership’s basketball division. Since 2023, BMW has been the title sponsor of the Bayern basketball workforce, with house video games performed on the newly branded “BMW Park.”
Only a few days in the past, we at BMWBLOG explored this ongoing story in larger element, together with BMW’s historic and strategic ties to FC Bayern. You possibly can learn our full legacy evaluation right here: BMW and FC Bayern: A Legacy within the Making.
Business insiders imagine that BMW’s present basketball partnership may pave the best way for growth into the soccer division. Such a transfer would doubtless require BMW to amass Audi’s 8.33% stake in FC Bayern München AG, positioning BMW not simply as a sponsor however as a shareholder. We’ve additionally heard up to now {that a} soccer sponsorship with FC Bayern would contain BMW paying a hefty sum.
The shifting sponsorship panorama comes as each BMW and Audi face tighter financial circumstances. BMW reported a 26.4% drop in web revenue to €2.2 billion within the first quarter of 2025, with income down almost 8% to €33.8 billion. Audi additionally posted declining earnings, incomes €630 million in Q1, a 14% year-over-year lower. So it stays to be seen whether or not BMW can splurge.
Audi’s long-standing partnership with FC Bayern has at all times been a thorn in BMW’s aspect, with its premium rival securing prime visibility in Munich’s yard—however as is commonly the case in enterprise, every thing has a value, even delight. For now, BMW appears content material having secured partnerships with different soccer giants like AC Milan and Actual Madrid, protecting its world sports activities advertising technique alive and nicely.
[Source: BILD]
