American Football League Europe Partners with König Pilsener as Official Beer Partner for the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026
The American Football League Europe (AFLE) is proud to announce a new partnership with König Pilsener, one of Germany’s leading premium pilsener brands, who joins the league as Official Beer Partner of the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026. The partnership gives König Pilsener a comprehensive brand presence both on-site at the league’s final game of their inaugural season and across the AFLE’s digital channels, and includes exclusive title and naming rights, extensive advertising and logo integrations, dedicated social media and PR activity, and a series of fan activations including the “König Pilsener Fan Zone” and the “König Pilsener Power Party,” both designed to bring fans closer to the brand before, during, and after the game.
A Familiar Face in the AFLE
König Pilsener’s move into the AFLE is not the brand’s first step into American football in Germany: the brand has for years served as the primary sponsor of Rhein Fire, one of the eight founding franchises competing in the AFLE’s inaugural season. Founded in 1858 in Duisburg and part of the Bitburger Braugruppe since 2007, König Pilsener has built its reputation on the motto of company founder Theodor König, “Qualität ist oberstes Gebot” (“quality is paramount”), and stands today as one of Germany’s most recognized premium pilsner brands. Building on its long-standing ties to Rhein Fire, extending the partnership to league level for the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026 is a natural next step in König Pilsener’s continued commitment to American football in Germany.
An Exclusive Seat on the Sideline
As part of the partnership, König Pilsener will host eight fans for an exclusive sideline experience – the “Celebration Couch” – set up directly at the edge of the field in an individually branded setup. Access to the Celebration Couch will be given away through a dedicated social media competition, giving fans the chance to win tickets to watch the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026 from one of the best seats in the stadium.
König Pilsener’s Hands-On Presence at the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026
Beyond branding and fan activations, König Pilsener is supplying the draft and serving equipment needed to keep fans supplied throughout the stadium and the wider event area for the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026. The partnership will also put AFLE President Jim Tomsula in an unfamiliar spot: behind the taps. In the König Pilsener Fan Zone, Tomsula will pour free beer for fans and be on hand for autographs and photos throughout the event. König Pilsener will also be front and center at the game’s defining moment: the brand is providing magnum bottles for the “Golden Moment”: the on-field trophy presentation to the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026 champions.
Fabienne Lampe, Head of Communications of the AFLE said: “König Pilsener is a partner that already knows what it means to be part of American football events. Bringing them on board as Official Beer Partner for the AFLE Gold Bowl 2026 feels like a natural next step for both sides. Their energy and their history in European American football are exactly the kind of authentic partnership we want to build the AFLE around. We can’t wait to celebrate our first “Golden Moment” together. Madeline Huke, Senior Sponsorship Manager at König Pilsener, added: “We’re delighted to be a partner of the very first AFLE Gold Bowl – especially as it takes place in our home city. Through our commitment, we hope to play a small part in creating what promises to be a fantastic football event, and we’re looking forward to an exciting, high-quality Gold Bowl.”
