October 6 – The AFC and beIN Media Group have agreed a major broadcast deal for the next 10 years giving the broadcaster exclusive access to all the AFC’s competitions through to 2032.
The deal is significant not just because of its 10-year length, which contributes to long term underpinning of the AFC’s competitions, but also because it draws a line under previous issues BeIN Sports had with the AFC over broadcast piracy within the region.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, IR Iran and Iraq are excluded from the deal for the MEBA region. beIN’s exclusive territories are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. beIN SPORTS will also have non-exclusive broadcast rights in Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan.
Group CEO of beIN Media Group, Yousef Al-Obaidly, said: “It is a hugely significant deal for beIN and our business, showing our complete commitment both to premium rights and to the long-term. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 later this year is simply the beginning of our plans at beIN, and this deal is just one proof-point of that.”
The AFC first started with beIN as a rightsholder in the region in 2012. The new deal will extend that relationship to 20 years.
The deal begins immediately and covers the remaining remaining matches in the AFC Champions League 2022 and AFC Cup 2022.
AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, said: “This long-term deal underlines not only the ever-growing stature of the AFC’s world class competitions but also the confidence top broadcasters have in the future of Asian football; and for decades beIN has simply been best-in-class in this region.
“MENA is home to some of the most ardent supporters of Asian football and we are pleased to be able to grow the consumption of AFC football with the hundreds of millions of passionate fans across the MENA region.”
No value was given for the deal.
Rights covered include: AFC Asian Qualifiers – FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers Final Round, FIFA World Cup 2030 Asian Qualifiers Final Round including play-off; AFC Asian Cup Finals (one Competition during each Cycle); AFC Women’s Asian Cup Finals (one Competition during each Cycle); AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2032 (two Competitions during each Cycle); AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Final Round) for Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032; AFC U20 Asian Cup Finals (one competition during each cycle); AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals (one competition during each cycle); AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Finals (two competitions during each cycle); AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Finals (two competitions during each cycle); AFC Futsal Asian Cup Finals (two competitions during each cycle); AFC Solidarity Cup (year(s) TBC); AFC Champions League – group stage, knock-out stage, and finals (annually during each cycle); AFC Cup – group stage, knock-out stage, and finals (annually during each cycle); AFC Futsal Club Championship Finals (annually during each cycle).
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