Kaufland Signs Multi-Year Deal With NHL
The German retailer becomes presenting partner of the NHL Global Series Germany and official food retail partner in three European countries.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Hockey
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Kaufland has signed a multi-year partnership with the National Hockey League, becoming presenting partner of the NHL Global Series Germany. The retailer will also serve as official food retail partner of the NHL in Germany, Czechia and Slovakia.
Why it matters
The deal reflects the NHL's expansion across Europe and its hope of growing its fan base in Germany, Czechia and Slovakia. Kaufland describes it as the logical next step in its sports marketing.
The partnership is described as multi-year, though its exact length and value are not specified. Kaufland's Slovak ice-hockey sponsorship dates to 2017, and the financial terms of the new NHL deal remain undisclosed.
The players
Kaufland
Kaufland is a German retail chain operating supermarkets across Europe, known for its extensive grocery offering and regional sponsorship activity.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is the premier professional ice hockey league in North America, which has been expanding its global presence through events and partnerships in Europe.
The details
Kaufland will act as presenting partner of the NHL Global Series Germany and as official food retail partner of the NHL in Germany, Czechia and Slovakia. Planned activities include in-store promotions, Global Series events and on-the-ground activities in cities.
Timeline
2017: Kaufland becomes main partner of the Slovak ice-hockey association.
Nov. 11, 2026: Announcement of the Kaufland-NHL partnership is published.
Roadmap
The partnership extends Kaufland's ice-hockey sponsorship in Slovakia, which began in 2017, into a multi-country deal with the NHL. It signals the league's push to build fan interest across central and western Europe through commercial partners.
Kaufland's role as official food retail partner will bring NHL-branded promotions to its stores in Germany, Czechia and Slovakia. Fans in those markets can expect Global Series events and in-store activations tied to the partnership.
The takeaway
Corporate partnerships are increasingly how leagues build fan bases in new markets, and this deal shows the NHL leaning on grocery retail to reach households across Europe. Watch for how the promotions translate into measurable fan engagement.
Further reading
For more on the sport's European growth, explore the Hockey section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Esmmagazine.
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