Why Budweiser is entering Indian cricket by backing fans, not stars

Long after the highlights have been clipped, debated and forgotten, cricket in India continues in quieter, more ordinary places. In living rooms where the television stays on past midnight. In neighbourhood bars where strangers argue over fielding positions. In cities and towns where a loss lingers longer than it should, and a win feels improbably personal.

It is into this emotional undercurrent that Budweiser 0.0 steps with In the Hands of Fans, the opening chapter of its partnership with the International Cricket Council as its official global partner. On the surface, the campaign announces Budweiser’s arrival into global cricket sponsorship. 

Beneath it sits a more strategic question the brand is trying to answer: how does a premium beer brand grow in India at a time when consumers are drinking differently, thinking harder about moderation and redefining what celebration looks like?

For AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer, the answer increasingly lies at the intersection of culture, premiumisation and choice.

A first entry into cricket, and a deliberate one

Budweiser’s association with sport has historically belonged to football. From decades of FIFA World Cup sponsorship to partnerships with leagues such as La Liga and the English Premier League, the brand has built a strong sporting identity outside India. Cricket, despite its scale, had remained largely untouched at a global level.

“This is the first time globally that AB InBev is entering the world of cricket,” says Vineet Sharma, vice president of marketing and trade marketing at AB InBev India. “We haven’t partnered with cricket as a company before.”

The ICC partnership changes that. It spans multiple formats and tournaments, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Test Championships, 50-over competitions and women’s tournaments across markets such as India and South Africa. Sharma is clear that the intent is long-term. “We are not partners for just one tournament. This is a multi-year association.”

The timing matters. India has quietly become one of Budweiser’s most important global markets. Outside the US, it is now the brand’s third-largest geography. The Indian beer market itself is evolving, with premium segments growing faster than mass beer, even as overall alcohol consumption patterns shift.

Putting the spotlight on fans, not heroes

In a cricket advertising landscape dominated by star players and celebrity endorsements, In the Hands of Fans takes a quieter, arguably riskier approach. The campaign places supporters at the centre, positioning them not as background noise but as custodians of the game’s emotional life.

“We wanted to talk to people who make the game great,” Sharma says. “People who cry, people who celebrate. People like you and me who live and breathe this game.”

The creative idea was developed by Budweiser’s in-house teams in collaboration with DDB Mudra and UK-based sports marketing partners. It is executed through a 360-degree plan spanning television, OTT platforms, social media, radio, on-ground fan screenings, trade activations and limited-edition packaging.

Sharma is careful, however, not to overstate the role of the campaign itself. “This is not just a TV commercial,” he says. “It is about how the idea comes alive in experiences, in packaging, in trade.”

The campaign took roughly two to three months to execute once the ICC deal was in place, but its role is best understood as a cultural entry point rather than the end goal.

Why cricket, and why now

For Budweiser, cricket’s appeal goes beyond reach. Sharma frames it as a cultural match rather than a media calculation. “Cricket is one of India’s biggest celebratory movements,” he says. “People come together in homes, in bars. They celebrate, they argue, they feel deeply.”

That language of celebration has long anchored Budweiser’s brand positioning. From global music festivals such as Lollapalooza and Rolling Loud to lifestyle-led partnerships, the brand has consistently aligned itself with shared experiences rather than individual achievement.

Cricket, Sharma argues, mirrors that ethos. “It was no surprise for us to enter this occasion with Budweiser front and centre,” he says. “This is where the brand naturally belongs.”

Why Budweiser 0.0 leads the ICC play

Notably, Budweiser’s cricket partnership is being activated through Budweiser 0.0, its non-alcoholic variant. The choice reflects a broader recalibration within the beverage industry.

Globally, alcohol consumption is under scrutiny. Data across developed markets shows a steady rise in moderation. In 2025, only about 17 percent of consumers reported drinking weekly, down from 23 percent in 2020, while more than half of occasional drinkers said they were actively trying to reduce alcohol intake, as per Euromonitor.

Yet the narrative that younger consumers are abandoning alcohol entirely is increasingly contested. Global research shows that Gen Z consumption has stabilised and, in some markets, even rebounded. The shift is less about abstinence and more about control.

Sharma sees the same complexity in India. “I wouldn’t say people are drinking less,” he says. “I would say people are drinking better.”

He adds that Budweiser continues to see strong growth on the beer side, even as Budweiser 0.0 expands rapidly. “The 0.0 category is much smaller, but it is growing triple digit year on year,” he says. “It unlocks new occasions.”

For the brand, non-alcoholic beer is not a replacement but an addition. Cricket, with its long viewing hours and mixed social settings, offers a natural moment to introduce that choice.

Competing in a premium-heavy market

Budweiser’s confidence in India is grounded in its position within the premium beer segment. AB InBev is the second-largest brewer in the country after United Breweries, whose Kingfisher brand dominates volumes. Carlsberg India is the third major player, while Heineken, Tuborg and Bira 91 compete aggressively at the upper end.

“Our portfolio in India is very well balanced,” Sharma says. “Budweiser is the number one brand in the premium beer segment.”

He notes that around 65 to 70 percent of AB InBev India’s sales come from high-end brands such as Budweiser, Corona and Hoegaarden. These brands are primarily consumed in urban centres, although Sharma says demand is increasingly spreading to emerging cities.

Pricing, however, remains a structural challenge. “Within beer, the price difference between brands is not very large,” Sharma explains. “Where it becomes tricky is when beer competes with spirits.”

He points to taxation structures that often place beer and spirits on similar footing despite vastly different alcohol content. “Beer has a much lower alcohol by volume, but it is taxed similarly to spirits,” he says. “That sometimes pushes consumers to shift categories.”

Urbanisation, experimentation and experience-led growth

Beyond price, Sharma identifies three forces shaping beer consumption in India. The first is experimentation. “Today’s young India wants to try different things,” he says. “They are not sticking to one brand or one category the way older generations did.”

The second is the rise of experiences. Music, sport and socialising outside the home are becoming central to how brands are discovered and consumed. “People want to go out, to socialise,” Sharma says. “This is where they experience music and sport, and this is where they engage with our brands.”

The third is urbanisation. As young Indians move from smaller towns to cities, living independently or with peers, consumption patterns change. “Urban centres have a much stronger culture of beer consumption,” he says.

These trends, Sharma argues, make him optimistic about India despite global caution. “I am very bullish on the India growth story,” he says. “We are seeing category growth, and we are beating that growth year on year.”