Press Releases September 8, 2026 07:00 AM

BrewDog Roars into Rugby with Five-Year Leicester Tigers Partnership, Bringing Punk Energy to Welford Road

Tilray’s BrewDog inks five-year beer partnership with Leicester Tigers, enhancing rugby matchday experience in the UK

By Avery Klein
Share
Twitter Reddit Facebook LinkedIn
TLRY

Tilray Brands' craft beer subsidiary BrewDog has announced a five-year exclusive official beer partnership with Leicester Tigers, one of England’s premier rugby union clubs. Starting from the 2026-27 season, BrewDog will provide a full lineup of its beers at Leicester’s Welford Road Stadium, launching a new Tigers-branded ale and fan activations to enhance the matchday experience. The deal underlines BrewDog's expanding presence in major UK sports venues and strengthens Tilray's foothold in the beverage sector.

BrewDog Roars into Rugby with Five-Year Leicester Tigers Partnership, Bringing Punk Energy to Welford Road
TLRY
Summarize with
ChatGPT Perplexity Claude Grok Gemini

Key Points

  • BrewDog named official beer partner of Leicester Tigers for five years, exclusive across multiple beer categories at Welford Road Stadium starting 2026-27 season.
  • Launch of 1880 Ale, a new Leicester Tigers-branded ale created specifically for supporters, along with branded bars and fan activations.
  • Partnership grows BrewDog’s footprint in UK sporting venues alongside existing agreements at London Stadium and BrewDog Stadium in St Helens, supporting Tilray’s beverage portfolio expansion.


ELLON, Scotland and LONDON, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrewDog, a leader in U.K. craft beer and one of the world’s most recognised craft beer brands, by Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), today announced a five-year partnership with Leicester Tigers, one of England's most iconic rugby union clubs, naming BrewDog the club’s Official Beer Partner from the start of the 2026-27 season and bringing a new wave of craft beer, fan-first activations and matchday energy to Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium.

From the first whistle to the final cheer, BrewDog is turning up the volume on the Leicester Tigers matchday experience. The partnership gives BrewDog exclusivity across lager, craft beer, ale and alcohol-free categories at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium and will introduce upgraded dispense and cellar technology, BrewDog's first-ever fully branded Punk IPA stadium bar, dedicated Black Heart and Executive Suite activations, the launch of 1880 Ale, a new fully Leicester Tigers-branded ale created exclusively for supporters, and five fan activations each season. Together, BrewDog and Leicester Tigers are building more than a beer partnership—they are creating a bigger, louder and more memorable rallying point for supporters on matchday and beyond.

Stuart Harrison, Chief Sales Officer, BrewDog, said: “There’s nothing like the energy of a Leicester Tigers crowd on game day — the build-up, the noise, the passion and the celebration around every big moment. At BrewDog, we believe great rugby deserves great beer, and we’re proud to bring our bold craft lineup, Punk spirit and fan-first approach to Welford Road. From 1880 Ale to the Punk IPA stadium bar and season-long activations, this partnership is about raising the matchday experience for Tigers fans from kickoff to the final whistle.”

At the centre of the partnership is 1880 Ale, a new ale created exclusively for Leicester Tigers supporters and fully branded in the club's colours and identity. Developed as a beer that fans can proudly call their own, 1880 Ale is designed to become part of the matchday ritual at Welford Road—from pre-match build-up to post-match celebrations. Additional details regarding launch timing and availability will be announced at a later date.

The partnership extends well beyond the bars. Each season, BrewDog and Leicester Tigers will deliver five major fan activations spanning matchday moments, supporter rewards and money-can't-buy experiences designed to put fans closer to the action. Both organisations are also committed to supporting local communities through collaboration with the Leicester Tigers Foundation, creating positive impact that carries beyond the stadium gates.

The partnership also builds on BrewDog's growing presence across the U.K.'s biggest sporting and live event venues. BrewDog is already the exclusive beer partner of London Stadium, one of the country's largest multi-purpose venues, and in 2025 agreed a ten-year naming rights partnership with the BrewDog Stadium in St Helens. Welford Road now adds one of the most historic grounds in English rugby union to that lineup, underlining BrewDog's commitment to serving great beer to fans at the venues where the biggest moments happen.


Mark Foster, Chief Commercial Officer, Leicester Tigers, commented: "I'm pleased to announce that BrewDog will be joining Tigers as our Official Beer Partner on a long-term deal. Their commitment to supporting Tigers - and the local community - is full, and we look forward to working with BrewDog to offer fans refreshment on matchdays. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Everards for their exceptional support over the years. They went from partners to friends, and their people will always be welcome at Mattioli Woods Welford Road. I can also confirm that the offerings from BrewDog will be alongside the existing agreements with Guinness and Thatchers, meaning that those beverages will remain on the menu for the long term."

BrewDog beers will be available across Mattioli Woods Welford Road from the first home fixture of the 2026-27 season, giving supporters access to a full BrewDog lineup including Punk IPA, Lost Lager, Wingman, Black Heart and BrewDog's alcohol-free range.

About BrewDog

BrewDog has always had one mission: making people as passionate about great beer as we are. From iconic classics like Punk IPA, to crowd-pleasers like Lost Lager and Wingman, to boundary-pushing innovations like NanoDog, BrewDog has been brewing bold, distinctive beers since 2007.Born in Scotland and built by a passionate community of beer lovers, BrewDog has grown into one of the world’s most recognizable craft beer brands, with a global presence spanning breweries, bars and distribution across multiple international markets. BrewDog’s future will continue to be shaped by the three things that matter most: People, Planet and Beer.

For more information, visit www.brewdog.com or follow @BrewDog on social media.

About Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers are the biggest and most successful club in English rugby, boasting 2 European Cups and 11 English Premiership titles. With foundations in central Leicester since 1880, Tigers call Mattioli Woods Welford Road home, where regularly 24,000+ loyal fans create one of the most iconic atmospheres in world rugby.

Men's Head Coach Geoff Parling and Women's Director of Rugby Fraser Goatcher are both entering their second year at the club in position, but in a club built on a family-first approach, they have both had long ties to Leicester Tigers. 

The club has a large focus on their academy system, which has formed the bedrock of numerous championship-winning sides for the club, as well as forming the basis of England Men's only Rugby World Cup-winning campaign. It continues to form the basis of the side today, as Ollie Chessum, Jack van Poortvliet, Freddie Steward and Joe Heyes lead the drive for success.

About Tilray Brands 
Tilray Brands, Inc. (“Tilray”) (Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), is a leading global lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia and Latin America that is leading as a transformative force at the nexus of cannabis, beverage, wellness, and entertainment elevating lives through moments of connection. Tilray’s mission is to be a leading premium lifestyle company with a house of brands and innovative products that inspire joy and create memorable experiences. Tilray’s unprecedented platform supports over 40 brands in over 20 countries, including comprehensive cannabis offerings, hemp-based foods and craft beverages.

For more information on how we are elevating lives through moments of connection, visit Tilray.com and follow @Tilray on all social platforms. 

Forward-Looking Statements
 Certain statements in this communication that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (together, “forward-looking statements”) under Canadian and U.S. securities laws and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections and other applicable laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “forecast,” “future,” “should,” “could,” “enable,” “potential,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “project,” “will,” “would” and the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Certain material factors, estimates, goals, projections, or assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this communication. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses, or current expectations. Many factors could cause actual results, performance, or achievement to be materially different from any forward-looking statements, and other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that the Company deems immaterial could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained herein. For a more detailed discussion of these risks and other factors, see the most recently filed annual information form of Tilray and the Annual Report on Form 10-K (and other periodic reports filed with the SEC) of Tilray made with the SEC and available on EDGAR. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made as of the date of this communication and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events, or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.  

Tilray Brands Contacts:
Media 
[email protected]

Investor Relations 
[email protected]

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/262d332e-befd-40c3-bb9c-30e50783d36b

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cfd130ee-fcb0-4df4-bba8-7c0304cf29d3


Risks

  • Dependency on successful fan adoption of new and exclusive beer offerings to drive sales growth; changing consumer preferences could limit uptake.
  • Competition with existing beverage partners (Guinness and Thatchers) at the stadium may complicate market share and revenue expectations.
  • Uncertainties inherent in long-term partnerships and changing economic conditions potentially impacting fan attendance and consumer discretionary spending in the leisure and hospitality sectors.

More from Press Releases

Fluent Names Jeanniey Walden Chief Marketing Officer Sep 8, 2026 Xometry Unveils Its Next-Gen Workcenter Experience, Streamlining How Manufacturing Partners Find, Evaluate, and Accept Jobs Sep 8, 2026 Concentrix Schedules Release of Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Investor Conference Call Sep 8, 2026 Verizon and Corning Announce Multi-year, Multi-billion Dollar Supply Agreement for Broadband Expansion and Next-Gen AI Infrastructure Sep 8, 2026 Duluth Trading Co. Expands Its Heirloom Gardening Line, Built for Every Growing Season Sep 8, 2026