AFC, beIN sign long-term MENA deal
October 6, 2022
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and beIN Media Group have agreed a new long-term deal in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region covering the AFC’s competitions over three cycles up to 2032.
For the initial 2022-2024 period, the agreement grants beIN – whose flagship channel is beIN Sports – exclusive rights to all AFC competitions in certain MENA territories, excluding Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, IR Iran and Iraq. beIN’s exclusive territories are (14): Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. In addition, beIN SPORTS has non-exclusive broadcast rights in the following territories: Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan.
For the 2025-2028 and 2029-2032 cycles, beIN has exclusive rights to all AFC competitions across 17 countries of MENA and non-exclusive rights in 6 countries of MENA.
Through this partnership between AFC and beIN, which originally dates back to 2010, beIN Sports will showcase the new AFC rights on its four dedicated AFC channels, which will all allow concurrent viewing of games.
The AFC rights will be available across all beIN’s subscription packages and add to beIN Sports’ portfolio across the MENA region, which also includes exclusive rights to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, the FA Cup, and a number of other sports rights and entertainment offerings.
Group CEO of beIN Media Group, Yousef Al-Obaidly, said: “We are delighted to enter this long–term partnership with the Asian Football Confederation up to 2032. 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 rights add to our unparalleled suite of major sports and entertainment rights within our portfolio over the coming decade. This new deal continues to firmly establish beIN as the home of sport and entertainment in MENA – both now and for decades to come. We look forward to being a trusted partner of Asian football across the entire region.”
AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, added: “The AFC is delighted to enter into this significant partnership with beIN, who have been loyal partners of the Asian game since 2010. 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.”