Nordic streaming service Viaplay have secured exclusive rights to broadcast all Northern Ireland men's matches from 2024-28.
They have agreed a four-year partnership with UEFA to show at least 40 exclusive live matches featuring the Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales national football teams.
The deal - which will see national team fixtures move away from long-running broadcast partner Sky Sports - will take in World Cup and European qualifiers as well as the UEFA Nations League and international friendlies.
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The new service will be part of a comprehensive package of more than 800 exclusive international matches from across Europe.
The agreement covers all matches played by the three national teams in the World Cup 2026 and Euro 2028 qualifiers, and in the UEFA Nations League 2024-25 and 2026-27 plus all matches in the UEFA Nations League Finals 2025 and 2027 as well as international friendlies.
The package also includes all matches in the various competitions featuring all other European teams (apart from England), including top-ranked sides such as Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Anders Jensen, Group President and CEO of Sweden-based NENT Group, which operates the Viaplay platform, said: “This is Viaplay’s biggest UK sports milestone so far. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have exciting young teams that millions of fans will be able to follow exclusively on our world-class platform.
“These matches are in good hands. We work closely with UEFA in the Nordic and Baltic regions and know how much national sides mean to supporters.
“Viaplay’s multi-territory partnerships with rights holders will be a key advantage as we challenge further in the UK sports market. The timing is also advantageous with these rights coming on stream in 2024, which allows us time to build our UK brand and to innovate the Viaplay viewing experience even further.”
Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director at UEFA, said: “We are delighted to enter this new partnership with Viaplay with its expansion into the UK.
“Viaplay will provide a comprehensive and innovative home for the Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales national team matches as well as for all other third-party European national team matches played during the European Qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 2026 and UEFA EURO 2028, as well as the UEFA Nations League 2024 and 2026, including the UEFA Nations League Finals in 2025 and 2027.
“With Viaplay’s long-lasting football track record, we are confident that football fans across the UK will be part of the journey of each of the three nations and will be offered excellent coverage of the UEFA national team football competitions between 2024 and 2028, whichever screen they choose to use.”
Viaplay will launch in the UK in the second half of 2022 offering live sports with premium original Nordic content and more.
Further details of Viaplay’s UK content, pricing and launch date will be announced in due course.
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