Sport inspires, connects and gets people moving. That is why we harness the power of sport to create positive momentum. We focus our engagement where sport brings people together—whether in handball, cycling or football. Our goal: to make a tangible difference, for players and fans alike. A brief journey through our sports partnerships of recent years.
Our story begins with cycling: when Lidl first became a sponsor of an international cycling team in 2016, it marked the starting point of our broad-based sports engagement. Just one year later, handball followed—Lidl became Official Fresh Food Partner of the Men’s IHF World Championship, the men’s world championship organised by the International Handball Federation (IHF). Choosing handball was no coincidence. As a dynamic, European-rooted team sport, it represents many of the values that define Lidl: team spirit, reliability, down-to-earthness and pace.
"Football, handball, cycling — these are sports that create connection and exchange, bringing people together and inspiring them. That is exactly what we want to actively support. This is why our sports partnerships are essential to us. We firmly believe that an active lifestyle and physical activity, together with healthy nutrition, are key to a healthy and fulfilling life."
This initial handball partnership quickly evolved into more: since 2018, we have been the official Fresh Food Partner of the men’s European Championships of the European Handball Federation (EHF), and since 2022 also of the women’s European Championships, as well as the women’s IHF World Championships since 2023. In addition, we support youth initiatives focused on physical activity and healthy nutrition. In 2025, we extended our commitment and will continue supporting the Men’s and Women’s EHF EUROs and the Men’s EHF EURO Cup through to 2028. At all tournaments, we provide players and fans with fresh fruit and smoothies.
In 2023, we reached the next major milestone: by becoming the main sponsor of the international cycling team Lidl-Trek, we further expanded our long-term commitment to elite sport. The team is among the leading teams in the UCI WorldTour worldwide — with strong men’s and women’s squads — and stands for sporting excellence, team spirit and continuous development. Then, in 2025, came a defining moment: Lidl became the majority shareholder of Lidl-Trek, demonstrating that its commitment is built for the long term.
Lidl-Trek is setting new standards, particularly in women’s cycling: with the same professional approach as in men’s cycling, the team increases visibility for female riders and enables targeted development of young female talent. Lidl supports the team as a strategic partner, demonstrating that elite sport and equality can go hand in hand. Our goal is to advance young female talent, further professionalise women’s cycling and create positive impact beyond the racecourse.
In 2024, we opened a new chapter in our sports engagement: with the UEFA EURO 2024™, Europe’s largest football tournament, we entered into our first international football partnership. This marked a significant milestone for us—not least because the tournament took place in Germany, Lidl’s home market. At the heart of our activities was the promotion of a healthy and active lifestyle: we distributed fresh fruit to fans, encouraging more conscious nutrition.
Together with the companies of Schwarz Group, we are also committed to a functioning circular economy: in collaboration with environmental service provider PreZero, we upcycled 30,000 m² of UEFA EURO 2024™ banners and flags, transforming them into exclusive training shirts, cones and backpacks. Following a lottery process in which German football clubs could apply, 200 clubs received these unique pieces of football history.
