Indian broadcaster, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), has extended its collaboration with Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), with a renewal of exclusive broadcast and digital rights for showcasing the European club football leagues that includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Youth League.
The renewal is valid from the 2024/ 2025 season till the end of the 2026-2027 season. As part of the three-season renewal, the broadcaster will have access to showcase over 1600 football matches across its channels over three seasons. Audiences in India can watch teams like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and more along with players like Kylian Mbappe, Mo Salah, Erling Haaland, Bruno Fernandes, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski amongst others.
These UEFA tournaments will be available exclusively on both linear television on Sony Sports Network as well as live-streamed on their on-demand OTT platform SonyLIV in the Indian subcontinent.
The UEFA Champions League will also be following a new format and competition system from 2024/25. From this season, four additional clubs will participate in the UEFA Champions League in a new league phase giving four more sides the opportunity to compete against the best clubs in Europe. 36 clubs will participate in this single league format in which all 36 competing clubs are ranked together.
In addition to this, UEFA’s premier club competitions will no longer have a break in January.
Sony Sports Network will continue to telecast select UEFA Champions League matches in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer - Distribution & International Business and Head - Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India, said, “Sony Sports Network, with a longstanding commitment to showcasing the very best of football, takes immense pride in announcing the extension of its partnership with UEFA for the next three seasons. Through this renewed collaboration, Sony Sports Network reaffirms its dedication to delivering unrivalled access to the most prestigious club football tournaments to fans across the Indian subcontinent. Since 2020, UEFA Champions League viewership in India has surged by over 51%, attributed largely through the introduction of regional language commentary. With the forthcoming transition to a new format, featuring over 125 additional matches and up to 38 early kickoff matches per season tailored for Indian audiences, we are confident that this growth will gain momentum further. As the 'Home of Football' in India, we eagerly anticipate showcasing over 1600 highly competitive football matches across these leagues to our viewers."
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA Events SA Marketing Director UEFA, said, “We are pleased to continue our partnership with Sony Sports Network. Sony Sports Network coverage of UEFA properties in India has led to the growth of its following and viewership in India. Fans in the region will be offered extensive and excellent coverage of UEFA’s Football portfolio which includes the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, with the broadcast on Sony Sports Network and their digital platform Sony LIV.”
This year, the final of UEFA Champions League is going to take place at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
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