Heineken has launched Fans Have More Friends, a new global sponsorship platform based on the belief that fandom is one of the fastest ways to connect with strangers.

Rooted in Heineken's long-standing belief in the importance of social connection and inspired by the book of the same name (Fans Have More Friends) by Ben Valenta and David Sikorjak , the platform reflects how shared passions help people connect naturally. This marks the first time Heineken has brought together its sponsorships in football, Formula 1, and music festivals, using fandom as both a social catalyst and a means to enrich social experiences in a world that can feel increasingly lonely.

New research commissioned by Heineken shows that three-quarters (75%) of fans say their fandom has helped them meet new people, making it one of the quickest ways to connect at a time when many people are missing real-life connections more than ever.

Three in five (59%) say it has helped them form some of their closest friendships, and 75% say watching sports with other fans, even if they support different teams, makes the experience better. Football tops the list as one of the biggest social ties, with 72% of fans saying language isn't a barrier when it comes to making football friends in a bar.

To test the findings, Heineken partnered with Zac Alsop to conduct a social experiment designed to test whether fans would actually show up for each other when needed.

The experiment followed Joe, an Australian living in New York, who found himself alone to watch Liverpool's match against Qarabağ FK in their final UEFA Champions League group game. Like many people, despite living in a big city, he faced the prospect of attending one of football's biggest nights alone.

To help his friend and demonstrate that fandom is a great way to connect, Zac distributed flyers across Manhattan with Joe's face and a simple request—"Have a beer with me"—inviting fellow fans to join him in watching the game on January 28th. No incentive, just an open invitation to the football community.

Fans across New York responded en masse, with hundreds showing up to cheer on another fan they'd never met before, and the event quickly gained traction on social media. Unbeknownst to Joe, Heineken transformed the Central Park Tavern, where the match took place, into a "Champions League-style" viewing experience, flying the UEFA Champions League trophy along with football legend Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was behind the bar serving beers to fans who pledged to attend.

The New York trial kicks off Heineken’s rollout of a multi-channel platform, which sees the “Fans Have More Friends” TV ad debut this week in the U.S., with 50 more markets to follow.

The campaign celebrates the spontaneous friendships that form between fans every time there's a match, a match, or a concert. Featuring Heineken's most renowned brand ambassadors—Max Verstappen, Virgil Van Dijk, and DJ Martin Garrix—the ad captures the essence of fans coming together, featuring famous faces (among others) united by a shared passion for sport and music.

The platform will continue to roll out throughout 2026 at key moments in the football, F1 and music festival calendars, including the UEFA Champions League final, UEFA Women's Champions League final, Coachella and Grand Prix weekends around the world.

"Fandom has an incredible power to bring people together," said Nabil Nasser , Global Head of Heineken Brand. "In football, F1, and music, we see how shared passions help people come together, connect, and feel part of something bigger. As a champion of social life, Heineken's new platform—Fans Have More Friends—aims to turn those shared moments into real connections, wherever they are in the world."