How one unforgettable night of football proves that fans really do have more friends
As the next round of the UEFA Champions League kicks off on 28 January, football fans across South Africa are preparing for one of the most iconic and prestigious sporting spectacles in the world.
On one epic night, Heineken® House Fan Edition will host a premium, curated viewing experience, bringing hundreds of fans together to experience all 18 Champions League matches simultaneously, transforming what is often a solitary late-night viewing moment into a shared social celebration. Designed to match the stature of the world’s greatest club football competition, the experience elevates match night into something far bigger than watching alone at home.
The event forms part of Heineken®’s new Fans Have More Friends platform, which celebrates the power of shared fandom to turn strangers into real connections. Rooted in Heineken®’s long-standing belief in sociability, the platform brings people together around the moments that matter most, where football becomes a universal language and strangers quickly turn into friends.
With late kick-offs, overlapping fixtures and busy schedules often forcing supporters to choose between matches, or watch alone, Heineken® House Fan Edition creates a space where fans don’t have to choose. Instead, fans are immersed in the full scale and intensity of the UEFA Champions League – widely regarded as the highest quality football tournament in the world, surrounded by others who share the same passion.
Across the 18 matches, fans will experience the defining drama of Champions League football, goals, tension and unforgettable moments, all amplified by the energy of watching together. Team colours spark conversation, rivalries fuel friendly debate, and shared reactions create instant connections.
“Football has always been about connection,” says Warrick Wyngaard, Marketing Communication Manager at Heineken® South Africa. “As the next phase of the UEFA Champions League begins, we’re proud to create a premium space that reflects the stature of the competition itself, bringing fans together through shared moments, shared emotions and shared experiences.”
The event also forms part of Heineken®’s broader local campaign, supported by a new TVC launching locally, that celebrates how shared fandom can turn everyday moments into meaningful connections.
More than just a viewing venue, Heineken® House Fan Edition sets the tone for what’s to come, with more unforgettable shared experiences planned, including the next edition of Heineken® House for the UEFA Champions League Final in May. Because when football is shared, fans really do have more friends..
Follow Heineken® South Africa on Instagram, X and Facebook. #HeinekenSA #FansHaveMoreFriends
About HEINEKEN®:
HEINEKEN® is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through “Brewing a Better World”, sustainability is embedded in the business.
HEINEKEN® has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken® Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN® has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY).
SUPPLIED.
