Ford has announced it is extending its long-standing sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League -- through June 2015.

“Our new three-year agreement shows how strongly we feel about this partnership,” said Stephen Odell, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. “For a global company like ours, the UEFA Champions League is an ideal platform to connect with millions of people around common values. It is about the best-of-the-best on the ultimate stage, and that's why Ford wants to be part of it.”

Added David Taylor, CEO UEFA Events: “We are delighted that Ford has chosen to extend their agreement with UEFA and the UEFA Champions League for another three years. Ford has been a valuable partner of ours since the inception of the competition back in 1992. This renewal in our partnership further strengthens the close relationship we have.

“The UEFA Champions League continues to go from strength to strength and we are confident that it will carry on providing Ford with excellent opportunities to connect and engage with fans on a global basis.”

The UEFA Champions League is one of the most popular sports competitions in the world. More than one billion television viewers tuned in last season, with a cumulative audience of more than four billion, more than half of which were outside of Europe.

“This may be a European competition, but like Ford’s latest global vehicles, it is shared and enjoyed throughout the world. Great football, like a great car, is universal in its appeal and this partnership generates world-wide exposure,” said Roelant de Waard, vice-president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “This is the reason why the UEFA Champions League played such big role in the launch of the new Ford Focus earlier this year.”