DAZN to show Saudi Pro League in six countries

DAZN has acquired the exclusive rights to air the Saudi Pro League in six counties including the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Canada, and Belgium for the next two seasons.

The sports streamer will broadcast the top three games live of each match day with the season due to commence on Friday August 11, including the match between Al-Ettifaq FC and Cristiano Ronaldo’s team Al-Nassr FC.

A selection of games will also feature on DAZN’s linear TV channels DAZN 1 and DAZN 2. A total of 18 clubs compete against each other in home and away matches through to May 2024.

The Saudi Arabian football league has received increasing attention, following the US$200m deal Cristiano Ronaldo to play football in the region.

Ahead of his debut for Al-Nassr in January, Endeavour-owned sports and entertainment firm IMG also secured a run of TV deals of the league. French media giant Canal+ has since secured exclusive rights to broadcast matches in France and across Africa across its networks for the next two seasons.

The first game kicks off with Al-Ahli SFC featuring Riyad Mahrez , Roberto Firmino and Allan Saint-Maximim against Al-Hazem SC . with Sergej Milinković-Savić, Sadio Mané , Jordan Henderson among the players.

DAZN said, “The highest Saudi Arabian soccer league, which was able to attract an impressive number of top international stars this summer and has thus increased enormously in terms of quality and attractiveness, promises top soccer and spectacular goals to soccer fans in both countries.”