The battle between Ireland’s biggest drinks companies for a larger share of the country’s lucrative live entertainment and sporting events market has intensified, with Heineken Ireland securing the drinks and pouring rights for the much-anticipated 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
Heineken Ireland has signed an agreement with Ryder Cup Europe to become the “Official Beer, Cider and Stout Supplier” for the event, which will take place in Co Limerick from September 17-19, 2027.
The agreement will give Heineken access to one of the biggest sporting events ever staged in Ireland, with its portfolio available across bars, the spectator village, hospitality areas and premium experience suites at Adare Manor.
The brands being served will include Heineken, Heineken 0.0%, Birra Moretti, Murphy’s, Beamish and Orchard Thieves, as well as SERVED ready-to-drink products.
The Ryder Cup is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of spectators as well as a global television audience running into hundreds of millions. Demand for tickets has already been considerable, with an allocation made available to Irish residents earlier this year selling out rapidly.
For Heineken, the agreement represents another significant move in the increasingly competitive battle that is being waged by the country’s top brewers and drinks groups for pouring rights, sponsorships and commercial partnerships with Ireland’s leading rights holders, including sports organisations, promoters and venue operators.
It also comes during a period of considerable upheaval in the live entertainment market, with Heineken and Diageo effectively carving up many of the country’s largest venues, festivals and outdoor concerts between them.
According to Sharon Walsh, managing director of Heineken Ireland: “It is a privilege for Heineken Ireland to partner with the Ryder Cup, an iconic global sporting event coming to Adare Manor in 2027. As a business rooted in Ireland, with a portfolio of some of the country’s most loved beer, cider and stout brands, we are proud to play our part in welcoming spectators from more than 80 countries.”
She said Heineken has supported the Irish Open as its official beer partner since 2022, while Murphy’s Irish Stout was previously title sponsor of the tournament between 1994 and 2002.
“Heineken has a long-standing connection with world-class sport and premium live experiences, and golf is no exception,” Walsh said.
The company has also been increasing its presence around other major sporting properties. Earlier this year, Heineken 0.0 was announced as broadcast sponsor of RTÉ’s coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, encompassing all 104 matches across RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
However, some of the most significant competitive activity has taken place in the live music and entertainment space.
In December 2025, Diageo Ireland struck a major multi-year agreement with Live Nation Ireland and MCD which brought Guinness back into Dublin’s 3Arena after an absence of more than 15 years.
The agreement also extended the Diageo beer portfolio across the 3Olympia Theatre, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Gaiety Theatre, The Academy and The Ambassador Theatre. Previously, Heineken had held the beer contract across the portfolio for 15 years.
The Diageo partnership also extended into some of MCD and Live Nation’s most important outdoor events, including concerts at St Anne’s Park, Malahide Castle, Marlay Park and Slane Castle as well as last weekend’s Electric Picnic.
In May 2026, Heineken responded to the loss of the Live Nation and MCD business by striking its own major agreement with Aiken Promotions and POD Festivals in May.
That partnership gave Heineken Ireland pouring rights at more than 40 events during 2026, covering 38 concerts and three outdoor festivals. Among the properties covered are Live at the Marquee in Cork, the Iveagh Gardens concert series in Dublin, concerts at Boucher Road in Belfast and festivals including Forbidden Fruit at IMMA and All Together Now in Co Waterford.
The arrival of the Ryder Cup adds another particularly valuable property to Heineken’s sponsorship portfolio.
The tournament will mark the centenary of the Ryder Cup and will be only the second time the competition has been staged in Ireland, following the 2006 event at The K Club.
Fiona Curtin, marketing director of Heineken Ireland, said the objective would be to use the agreement to make the company’s brands part of the overall spectator experience.
“The Ryder Cup is one of the great live sporting experiences, and our role is to help make every fan touchpoint feel premium, welcoming and unmistakably Heineken,” she said.
