NENT Group picks up UEFA rights in Poland

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) has acquired the rights to the UEFA Europa League and the new UEFA Conference League in Poland.

The deal will see the streamer exclusively show the second and third-tier European club football competitions from the beginning of the 2021/22-season until the end of the 2023/24-season. 

The competitions combined will bring 282 live football games to Viaplay in Poland, complementing its exclusive distribution agreements with Germany’s Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.

NENT highlighted that this deal means that it now has the rights to the two European club competitions in eight markets: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

The new UEFA Conference League is of particular interest in Poland, with the competition featuring three Polish teams.

Anders Jensen, NENT Group President and CEO, said: “We have a clear ambition to make Viaplay the leading provider of Sports and Entertainment in Poland. We will build that position and our sports portfolio step by step. After having announced our exclusive partnership with Bundesliga, I am thrilled to now announce two European Club football tournaments with high local relevance for the Polish fans. We have been a partner to UEFA for many years and I am very much looking forward to extend that partnership to Poland as well.” 

Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA Marketing Director, said: “UEFA is delighted to expand its long-standing partnership with NENT into the Polish market for the distribution of the UEFA Europa League and the newly created UEFA Europa Conference League. We look forward to continue working closely together as NENT extends its wealth of broadcasting expertise and innovative coverage to a new market.”

NENT Group has also announced a deal to acquire top women’s football for Viaplay in nine countries. It has extended rights to the English Women’s Super League, and has picked up the Women’s Serie A, Frauen Bundesliga, Danish League (Gjensidige Kvindeliga) and selected matches from Spain’s Liga Iberdrola for all nine markets.

Of these deals, Jensen said: “We want Viaplay to have the strongest sports offer across our markets. And this acquisition of women’s top-tier football further strengthens this position. Women’s football is developing rapidly both on and off the pitch. NENT Group and Viaplay are thrilled to be part of this journey, and we have big expectations for the years to come. These rights sit nicely with our ambitions in the markets, not least in the Baltics, where Viaplay will be launched on March 9.”