DAZN, the over-the-top sports subscription platform, has once again secured exclusive rights in Canada to all of UEFA’s club competitions. This marks the third consecutive cycle that DAZN has partnered with UEFA for broadcasting these competitions in Canada.
The deal extends from the 2024-25 season through to the 2026-27 season. This continued partnership follows DAZN taking over as exclusive rights holder from Canadian pay-television broadcaster TSN in May 2018.
Pete Oliver, DAZN chief executive of growth markets, said:
“DAZN is absolutely committed to bringing the best in sports entertainment to our customers in Canada, and the UEFA club competitions, which feature some the biggest clubs and players in world football, certainly deliver in terms of quality and drama.
“It’s also pleasing to see the continued faith UEFA has in DAZN for another three years, to help promote and grow their premium club competitions to reach ever more fans across Canada. All with DAZN’s excellent value and accessible pricing, and available across multiple smart TVs and other connected devices.”
DAZN's portfolio now includes nearly every top competiton
Media rights sales for this upcoming three-year broadcast cycle were managed by Team Marketing, UEFA’s partner agency responsible for media and commercial rights sales across its club competitions. The tender process in Canada was initiated back in October last year.
This agreement ensures that UEFA's competitions will continue to be part of DAZN Canada’s extensive coverage which includes NFL, MLB, Six Nations Rugby and Bundesliga matches.
From the 2024-25 season onwards, there will be a significant change as the Champions League group-stage format changes to new single-league format. The competition is set to expand from 32 teams to 36 teams and will feature an increased number of matches - up from current 125 games to a total of 189 matches.
UEFA are in the process of concluding new global deals
UEFA has already concluded similar deals elsewhere globally. In the US market, major broadcast network Paramount Global retained English-language rights through a six-year deal worth $1.5 billion while TelevisaUnivision renewed its Spanish-language rights.
In addition to retaining its position as premier UCL broadcaster in Portugal after acquiring previous right-holder Eleven earlier this year; contracts have also been signed across major markets such as UK, France, Netherlands, Germany Italy Denmark Belgium and Switzerland.
Last month saw another development when UEFA opened its media rights tender for club competitions covering seasons between 2024-27 in Turkey. This includes the top-tier UEFA Champions League (UCL), second-tier Europa League, and third-tier Europa Conference League matches.
DAZN Canada's continued partnership with UEFA is a testament to their commitment to providing comprehensive sports coverage for Canadian fans. With an expanded format and more matches, viewers can look forward to even more thrilling soccer action in the coming years.
