Crisis Hits Handball: Daikin Pulls the Plug on Handball Bundesliga Deal
Due to the ongoing crisis in Germany’s oil and gas sectors, the Bundesliga’s title sponsor, Daikin, has decided to terminate its contract with the national championship.
The agreement with Daikin — one of the world’s leading suppliers of heating, air conditioning, ventilation, air purification, and refrigeration systems — was signed in 2024. It was initially set for two years, with an option to extend for an additional three, but the company has opted not to continue the partnership.
Under the deal, Daikin paid €5 million per year for the league’s naming rights, officially branding the competition as the Daikin Handball Bundesliga.
Following news of the withdrawal, both Daikin representatives and Bundesliga officials stated that the main objectives of the partnership had already been achieved within the first year.
According to Kicker, the termination is linked to Germany’s ongoing energy challenges. The heating market has been in crisis for several months. After an already weak previous year, sales of oil- and gas-based heating systems plummeted by 81% in the first half of 2025, according to the German Heating Industry Association. Despite sales of 139,000 heat pumps, the figure remains far below the government’s political target of installing 500,000 units annually starting from 2024.
“When the contract was signed, the heat pump market promised much stronger growth. Unfortunately, the current economic situation has slowed that progress somewhat. We respect Daikin’s decision and look to the future with optimism,” said Bundesliga Director Frank Bohmann.
The Bundesliga has already begun the search for a new title sponsor.
