Pre-game concerts coming to Women’s Champions League finals in Europe from next season

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Pre-game concerts are coming to the biggest stages in European women’s soccer from next season as part of a Pepsi sponsorship announced on Tuesday.

UEFA said a five-year renewal with PepsiCo will see kickoff shows at each final in the Women’s Champions League through 2030 and at the 2029 European Championship.

The men’s Champions League final has had concerts since Alicia Keys performed before the 2016 final at San Siro in Milan. Dua Lipa performed at the 2018 final in Kyiv.

“Beyond the finals, Pepsi will bring immersive entertainment to every UEFA Women’s Champions League knockout round from the quarterfinal onward,” UEFA said in a statement.

The Women’s Champions League is revamped next season — to use the same league format as the men ’s competition debuted this season — leading to the final at Norway’s national stadium in Oslo.

PepsiCo sponsored the Super Bowl halftime show for a decade through the February 2022 game, where Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and 50 Cent performed.

UEFA said the drinks giant is the first top-tier sponsor to renew for the 2025-30 period in a deal which also will promote the Lay’s and Gatorade brands. PepsiCo has sponsored the men’s Champions League since 2015.

“The agreement will also see PepsiCo sponsor the UEFA European women’s under-19 and under-17 championships, and the UEFA Women’s Futsal EURO, as well as UEFA’s Together #WePlayStrong program, which is aimed at encouraging more girls and women to play football,” the European soccer body said.

Until 2018, the Women’s Champions League final was in the same city as the men’s final as a curtainraiser event. The women’s competition got its own city and stage starting in 2019.

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