VfB Stuttgart Highlights Mercedes-Benz and Porsche Partnership in DFB-Pokal Final Activation.

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: VfB Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart will mark its appearance in the 2025 DFB-Pokal final by honoring its strategic commercial alliance with Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, showcasing both logos and the term "Weltmarkenbündnis" ("global brand alliance") on the team’s warm-up kits during the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

The gesture reflects a multi-year partnership that has contributed significantly to VfB’s financial stabilization, institutional positioning, and on-pitch development since the agreement was formalized following the club’s 2022/23 relegation playoff survival.

A Unique Dual-Brand Alliance in German Football VfB Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz Porsche

The alliance between Mercedes-Benz and Porsche—two globally recognized automotive brands headquartered in Baden-Württemberg—has been described by VfB leadership as a “unique constellation in professional football.”

This dual-brand investment is rare in the European club football landscape, especially when involving two direct competitors co-investing in a single club’s commercial and strategic future. The agreement offers VfB a multi-dimensional corporate support structure without exclusivity conflicts, and continues to serve as a case study in regional brand collaboration over rivalry.

Commercial Activation on German Football’s National Stage

The decision to display Porsche and Mercedes-Benz branding on VfB’s warm-up gear at the DFB-Pokal final represents a public acknowledgment of partner loyalty, especially as both companies were instrumental in VfB’s financial and sporting turnaround post-2023.

“Without the commitment from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, our development would not have accelerated the way it has,” said Alexander Wehrle, CEO of VfB Stuttgart. “This activation is our way of saying thank you.”

VfB will also execute additional matchday branding activations in both Berlin and Stuttgart, amplifying the “Weltmarkenbündnis” message to both stadium audiences and national television viewers.

Long-Term Strategic Positioning

Since its inception, the Weltmarkenbündnis has allowed VfB to invest in squad development, infrastructure, and marketing, supported by the brand equity and resources of two global industrial leaders. For the club, the partnership has proven to be more than capital—it’s served as a branding accelerator and signal of stability.

“This alliance began during a difficult time for the club,” said Rouven Kasper, VfB Board Member for Marketing and Sales. “Porsche and Mercedes-Benz believed in our long-term potential—and now, two years later, they’re still supporting us.”

Industry Perspective: Beyond Traditional Sponsorship

The “Weltmarkenbündnis” may not be replicable everywhere due to its regional specificity, but it offers a model for how brands can unite to support club ecosystems in ways that transcend standard partnership deliverables.

For VfB, the DFB-Pokal final provides the platform to not only compete for silverware, but also demonstrate brand alignment and regional economic integration on German football’s biggest domestic stage.