Troubled Viaplay signs vital Champions League rights deals in two markets

Viaplay has secured rights to air Champions League football in Denmark and Sweden

Nordic streamer Viaplay Group has secured vital exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League in Denmark and Sweden with a new three-year deal starting next season.

In Sweden, Viaplay took over the exclusive rights from Telia/TV4, while Norway’s national broadcaster, TV2, secured Champions League rights back in April.

Viaplay’s deal with UEFA through the 2026/27 season comes in the wake of a turbulent period for the streamer, which in 2023 underwent major management changes, and saw rising deficits topped by mounting consumer criticism of increasing subscription prices.

After prolonged negotiations with UEFA, a third round of bidding began in March which ended with an estimated DKK450m (US$65m) annual price tag, according to local publication Bold.dk. The total price is estimated to be slightly lower than the current agreement.

A small price drop for attractive content is not unlikely, according to sports economist Kenneth Cortsen. “UEFA was squeezing the lemon, and I doubt the [Nordic] market was quite on board this time, given the current market,” Cortsen told Mediawatch, referring to an emerging price levelling in sports.

Nevertheless, the Champions League is a vital signing for Viaplay at this time.

“There are three vital rights for Viaplay [in Denmark]. The local Superliga, the Premier League and the Champions League. This explains the prolonged negotiation process, this was extremely important for Viaplay,” sports expert and Deloitte partner Jesper Jørgensen told Mediawatch.

Starting next season, the Champions League will introduce a new structure adding extra clout for Viaplay when it comes to signing and retaining subscriptions.

More clubs will participate, and the match schedule will change. This means more matches in the tournament and steps up competition on the pitch, according to Viaplay. The UEFA Champions League will now offer 203 live matches in one season over 19 match weeks, compared to the previous 137 matches and 17 match weeks.

Viaplay may have secured prime live sports content for three years but competitors such as Disney+ and Prime Video are slowly moving into Viaplay’s stronghold. From the 2024/25 season, Disney+ is the place to follow UEFA Europa League and Conference League matches if you live in Denmark.