European Sponsorship Awards 2026: The Winners
The 2026 European Sponsorship Awards once again showcased the breadth and creativity of the European sponsorship industry, recognising standout partnerships across sport, culture, entertainment and social impact.
Leading the night was Canon & RNIB – World Unseen, which took home the coveted ESA Sponsorship of the Year award after also winning Arts & Culture Sponsorship. The campaign was recognised for its work making photography accessible to blind and partially sighted audiences, demonstrating how sponsorship can deliver both business impact and meaningful social purpose.
ESA Awards Chair of Judges Matthew Leopold said:
“Many congratulations to all our winners, and a particular nod to the ESA Sponsorship of the Year, Canon & RNIB – World Unseen. A genuinely compelling piece of work, strong on the numbers and, more importantly, genuinely felt.”
Canon & RNIB’s wins included:
Arts & Culture Sponsorship
And finally, Sponsorship of the Year
Beyond the top prize, a wide range of brands stood out for campaigns that combined creativity, purpose and audience engagement.
Sport and social purpose take the spotlight
Several brands enjoyed multiple successes across the awards.
Guinness picked up two major trophies, winning Sport Sponsorship – Large Scale for Guinness & The Premier League: A Match Made in Heaven and Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Large Scale for IDA x Guinness ‘Never Settle’ Boot. The Dublin-based brewer also secured ESA Best of Europe Gold for Lovely Summer for a Guinness.
Norwegian insurer Gjensidige also continued its award-winning run. After winning five trophies in 2025 including Sponsorship of the Year, its The Breathing Space campaign collected further honours in Festival Sponsorship, Music Sponsorship, and Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Medium to Large Scale.
Elsewhere in sport, Bound By Belief, Sky and Irish Football claimed both Sport Sponsorship – Medium to Large Scale and Best Use of Measurement & Insight, while Deep Heat & Deep Freeze x HYROX – From Badge to Belief was recognised in Sport Sponsorship – Small to Medium Scale.
New voices and diverse partnerships
Social impact and community-driven sponsorships again featured strongly across the awards.
The Entry Room, a partnership between SpareBank 1 Østlandet and Retail Factory, won Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Small to Medium Scale, while Cairn Community Games was recognised for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in Sponsorship.
Movember’s Ahead of the Game campaign, created in partnership with the GAA/GPA, took home Best Use of PR, highlighting how sponsorship can be used to drive meaningful conversations around mental health.
In the content categories, Centra’s Suss or Sound? – Content Champions of the Traitors Ireland won Best Use of Content < €1M, while Tommy Hilfiger and F1 The Movie – When Content Became Culture won Best Use of Content €1M+.
Leading agencies and events recognised
MSQ Sport + Entertainment was named Agency of the Year, while Oak View Group was awarded Rights Holder of the Year for its work around Co-op Live.
The Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon 2025 won Event of the Year, while The Irish Times and Electric Ireland’s Ireland’s Greenest Places partnership was recognised for Environmentally Sustainable Sponsorship.
The awards also highlighted emerging sectors, with Stake x Team Vitality winning Esports & Gaming Sponsorship, and Pringles x Cole Palmer – HOT vs COLE recognised for Best Use of Talent < €500k.
Pan-European recognition
The awards also highlighted outstanding campaigns from across the continent through the ESA Best of Europe category.
Lovely Summer for a Guinness secured Gold, while EDF x Paris 2024 – The Moment to Shine took Silver, and Samsung ShotControl claimed Bronze.
The judges also introduced a new Chair’s Award, presented to Tommy Hilfiger and F1 The Movie for what was described as “disruptive brilliance” across multiple award categories.
Full list of 2026 winners
Canon & RNIB – World Unseen: Sponsorship of the Year
MSQ Sport + Entertainment - Agency of the Year
Oak View Group – Co-op Live: Rights Holder of the Year
Canon & RNIB – World Unseen: Arts & Culture Sponsorship
The Pfizer Cycle 2025: Best Employee Engagement
Suss or Sound? Centra Content Champions of the Traitors Ireland: Best Use of Content < €1M
Tommy Hilfiger and F1 The Movie – When Content Became Culture: Best Use of Content €1M+
Three x Chelsea FCW – We See You Lily Parr: Best Use of Cutting-edge Technology
Bound By Belief, Sky and Irish Football: Best Use of Measurement & Insight
Movember – Ahead of the Game in partnership with the GAA/GPA: Best Use of PR
Pringles x Cole Palmer – HOT vs COLE: Best Use of Talent < €500k
Tommy Hilfiger and F1 The Movie – Blurring the Lines of Fashion, Film and F1: Best Use of Talent €500k+
The Irish Times & Electric Ireland – Ireland’s Greenest Places: Environmentally Sustainable Sponsorship
Cairn Community Games: Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in Sponsorship
Stake x Team Vitality: Esports & Gaming Sponsorship
Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon 2025: Event of the Year
The Breathing Space by Gjensidige: Festival Sponsorship
A Very Proud Sponsor of The Traitors Ireland: Media Sponsorship
The Breathing Space by Gjensidige: Music Sponsorship
The Entry Room – SpareBank 1 Østlandet & Retail Factory: Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Small to Medium Scale
The Breathing Space by Gjensidige: Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Medium to Large Scale
IDA x Guinness – Never Settle Boot: Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Large Scale
Deep Heat & Deep Freeze x HYROX – From Badge to Belief: Sport Sponsorship – Small to Medium Scale
Bound By Belief, Sky and Irish Football: Sport Sponsorship – Medium to Large Scale
Guinness & The Premier League – A Match Made in Heaven: Sport Sponsorship – Large Scale
Lovely Summer for a Guinness: ESA Best of Europe Gold
The best of the rest: Highly commended entries
The Breathing Space by Gjensidige: Arts & Culture Sponsorship
Deep Heat & Deep Freeze x HYROX – From Cliché to Credibility: Best Use of Content < €1M
Smart Sponsorship – Sky Atlantic & Volvo: Best Use of Cutting-edge Technology
World Aquatics & IRIS – Demonstrating Global Reach and Sponsorship Impact: Best Use of Measurement & Insight
Saatchi & Saatchi x London Sport – More Ball Games Campaign: Best Use of PR
BMW & Ross Edgley – The Great Icelandic Swim: Best Use of Talent < €500k
EDF x Paris 2024 – The Moment to Shine: Environmentally Sustainable Sponsorship
eBay – Headline Sponsor of the Main Stage at the Qatar Airways British GP: Event of the Year
The Smirnoff Stage at Electric Picnic: Festival Sponsorship
Driving Desire – Mercedes-Benz and The Traitors Ireland: Media Sponsorship
Live Laugh Lidl: Music Sponsorship
Lovely Summer for a Guinness: Music Sponsorship
Cairn Community Games: Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Small to Medium Scale
BAMA Sports Fruit – A Simple Initiative with a Big Impact: Sponsorship with a Social Purpose – Large Scale
Electric Ireland – GAA & Camogie All-Ireland Minor Championships: Sport Sponsorship – Small to Medium Scale
Dalata Hotel Group & The GAA – For Difference Makers: Sport Sponsorship – Small to Medium Scale
ELEMIS – Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team: Sport Sponsorship – Medium to Large Scale
O2 x England Rugby – England, Meet England: Sport Sponsorship – Large Scale
AEG Global Partnerships: Rights Holder of the Year
