The rumor mill again revolves around Germany’s most successful football club. After more than two decades of the partnership with Audi, there is a very speculative rumor that FC Bayern Munich could soon see a new badge for its players’ company cars – BMW. Although speculation in traction gains, no official step was taken and every possible change has been removed for years.
The long -standing partnership of Audi and possible exit
Audi has been a partner of FC Bayern Munich since the 2002/03 season and is currently holding 8.33% in FC Bayern Munich AG. The existing sponsoring deal runs until 2029, which was renewed five years ago. According to reports, Audi, which the Volkswagen Group belongs to, could rethink their long -term participation. One reason is the financial burden to reconcile two top-class sponsorship: his partnership with Bavaria and the upcoming entry into Formula 1 in 2026-a investment of several billion euros, which is to become the most important marketing platform in Audi.
According to BILD, Volkswagen is reportedly difficult to fully justify the financing of both projects. If F1 is large on the horizon, it can have resources free for Audi’s racing ambitions.
BMW is waiting in the wings
It is also not surprising that BMW might be interested again – to get in again. The car manufacturer, based in Munich, already sealed a contract with Bavaria in 2019. Both parties had already signed a letter of intent before the talks collapsed for unknown reasons. Despite this setback, BMW has gained a foothold since then. BMW has been the title sponsor of the Bayern basketball team since 2023. Home games were played in the newly branded “BMW Park”.
A few days ago, we examined this ongoing story more precisely at BMWblog, including BMW’s historical and strategic ties to FC Bayern. Here you can read our complete legacy analysis: BMW and FC Bayern: A legacy in the creation.
Industry experts believe that BMW’s existing basketball partnership could pave the way for the expansion of the football department. Such a step would probably require that BMW acquire the 8.33% share of Audi at FC Bayern Munich AG and position BMW not only as a sponsor, but as a shareholder. We have also heard in the past that football sponsorship with FC Bayern BMW uses to pay for a strong sum.
The changing sponsoring landscape comes up with closer economic conditions both as a BMW and Audi. In the first quarter of 2025, BMW recorded a decline in net profit by 26.4% to EUR 2.2 billion, whereby sales went by almost 8% to 33.8 billion euros. Audi also achieved declining profits and achieved EUR 630 million in the first quarter, a decline of 14% compared to the previous year. So it remains to be seen whether BMW can realize.
Audi’s long-standing partnership with FC Bayern has always been a thorn in the BMW side, and his premium competitor has secured first-class visibility in Munich’s backyard. At the moment, BMW seems to be satisfied with having secured partnerships with other football giants such as AC Milan and Real Madrid and keeping its global sports marketing strategy alive.
[Source: BILD]
