AFLE VIKINGS ADD RED BULL AS ‘PREMIUM PARTNER’
The American Football League Europe has continued its aggressive media rollout ahead of kickoff weekend, announcing a new partnership with Red Bull that will see every Vienna Vikings game streamed live on Red Bull TV throughout the 2026 season — but the deal is far bigger than that for the Austrian club, which partners with the global drink brand for the first time.
The partnership unites two ‘Made in Austria’ brands that stand for performance, excellence and passion. Together, the Vikings and Red Bull aim to use the partnership to create new momentum and offer fans and athletes unique experiences in the world of sports, with both sides promising to deliver special ‘wow’ moments both on game days and across social media channels.
The deal, revealed on Thursday, comes hand in hand with the AFLE confirming a rash of international broadcast agreements in an attempt to establish immediate international reach before its inaugural season, with the addition of Red Bull TV significantly strengthening the league’s visibility, initially in the German-speaking market but also globally.
“Red Bull stands for action, emotion, and extraordinary stories in sports worldwide,” Vikings GM Max Paatz commented. “This collaboration opens up exciting opportunities and is a milestone for the professional development of the Vienna Vikings. We want to offer our fans unique experiences not only on the field but also beyond.”
According to the league, all Vikings home and away fixtures will stream free of charge via the Red Bull TV app, beginning with Saturday’s season opener against the Berlin Thunder in Vienna. The opening game on May 23rd will initially be exclusive to the app before the broader season rollout continues across Red Bull TV’s worldwide streaming infrastructure. AFLE said the arrangement would allow fans to follow the Vikings ‘from every venue on the 2026 schedule’, including fixtures in London and Duisburg as well as games at Vienna’s Wiener Sport-Club Stadion and Generali Arena.
While the press release stops short of disclosing financial terms, the agreement represents another notable commercial win for a league just days away from playing its first game. The involvement of Red Bull also brings additional credibility and production infrastructure to AFLE’s launch phase, particularly given the company’s long-standing ties to international sports broadcasting and event promotion.
“A partnership with a global brand like Red Bull is something special for any sports organisation and can significantly contribute to international visibility,” added team owner Robin Lumsden. “It already demonstrates the reach the Vienna Vikings brand has developed on a continental level and confirms that we are perceived as a leading football franchise in Europe far beyond the borders of Austria.”
AFLE specifically highlighted the two scheduled meetings between the Vikings and Rhein Fire as marquee fixtures, describing Rhein Fire as ‘one of the most established and emotionally charged franchises in European football’ with ‘a loyal fanbase, a history of silverware, and a reputation for high-intensity competition’.
AFLE reiterated in Thursday’s release that the league was founded to create ‘a sustainable, team-driven competition across Europe’ built on ‘transparency, collaboration, and long-term development’ following years of instability within the sport.