- The new four-year deals begin from the start of the 2021-22 season
- Agreement includes rights to Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches
- Eleven Sports will support broadcast with additional shoulder programming as well as digital and social media coverage
Bundesliga International, a subsidiary of DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, has extended its broadcast rights agreements with Eleven Sports to show Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg for the next four seasons.
The new deals come into play from the start of the 2021-22 season, which begins on 13 August. In addition to rights to show Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches, Eleven Sports will also hold broadcasting rights for the German Supercup and relegation play-offs each season. The 2021 Supercup will take place on 17 August 2021, with DFB Pokal winners Borussia Dortmund entertaining Bundesliga champions FC Bayern München at the Signal Iduna Park.
With three of Europe’s top six scorers coming from the Bundesliga, including Portugal’s André Silva who finished the season with 28 goals, the Bundesliga is renowned for its fast, exciting football, and remains a cornerstone of Eleven Sports’ offering. In Belgium, the country’s leading sports broadcaster will have the exclusive rights to show all Bundesliga matches in both French and Dutch across its linear and digital platforms. The offering is also available in Luxembourg, for which Eleven Sports acquired non-exclusive rights. In Portugal, Eleven Sports maintains its position as the exclusive home of Bundesliga and will likewise continue to entertain local Bundesliga fans with its comprehensive coverage of the German top-flight from all angles.
As well as live match action, Eleven Sports will continue to keep fans up to date with all the latest developments from the Bundesliga, incorporating the Bundesliga Highlights Show and Bundesliga Weekly into its programming schedule and featuring the Bundesliga comprehensively across its range of digital and social media platforms.
Bundesliga International CEO Robert Klein said: “Eleven Sports is a trusted partner with the shared ambition to constantly innovate the broadcasting experience for our fans. Extending our agreement in these markets is a great signal of intent to continue building the local Bundesliga following, and with players such as André Silva, Raphaël Guerreiro, Thorgan Hazard and Koen Casteels, we have the star power that local fans tune in for every matchday.”
Guillaume Collard, Eleven Sports Belgium & Luxembourg Managing Director and Group Chief Rights Acquisition Officer, said: “At Eleven we want to serve fans with the greatest live sport in the world. Securing the rights to the Bundesliga for another four years is an important step in us delivering on that mission. From Der Klassiker to following all the action of Belgian players like Thorgan Hazard and Koen Casteels – the Bundesliga has lots to offer fans in Belgium and Luxembourg. Our new deal is testament to the partnership we have built with the Bundesliga over the past few years and we’re looking forward to continuing to work together in the seasons ahead.”
Jorge Pavão de Sousa, Eleven Sports Portugal Managing Director, added: “This renewal is part of Eleven’s strategy to consolidate and grow our portfolio of leading sports rights in Portugal. The Bundesliga has enjoyed a double-digit growth in popularity in Portugal over the last rights cycle, as Eleven has championed the league and the great performances of players like André Silva, Raphaël Guerreiro and Gonçalo Paciência. We would like to thank the Bundesliga for the trust they’ve placed in us and look forward to continuing to bring our audience the best of German football in the seasons ahead.”
Follow all the latest Bundesliga action on Bundesliga.com and via the official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.
