Nordic-based streaming service Viaplay has won exclusive rights to show Wales matches from 2024 in a significant shake-up of live international football.
As part of a four-year partnership with UEFA, Viaplay will show European qualifiers for Euro 2028 and World Cup 2026 from 2024, along with UEFA Nations League and friendly matches. The move means Wales matches will no longer be shown on Sky Sports or, it seems, S4C.
Viaplay has since confirmed that it plans to offer Welsh language coverage, and has also said that some matches will be shown free-to-air. It's also not clear just how much it will cost fans, many of whom will already be shelling out for subscriptions to services such as Sky Sports, BT Sport and Premier Sport in a bid to catch their favourite teams.
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In the US, the service costs around $4.99 per month, which translates to around £4 a month in the UK at current exchange rates. Further details are expected when the service launches in the UK in the second half of the year.
The agreement comes through UEFA's centralised National Association media rights sales process, and means the platform will also be the home of Scotland and Northern Ireland games. However, England matches are not part of the agreement.
Confirming the news, FAW CEO Noel Mooney tweeted: "Bora da. UEFA sell the centralised rights for all 55 national associations in Europe. We are in discussions with them re Welsh language, promotion of domestic game internationally, free-to-air matches of the Cymru national teams etc. Will update ASAP."
Anders Jensen, NENT group president and CEO, added: “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, added: “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 Home Nations and will be offered excellent coverage of the UEFA National Team Football competitions between 2024 and 2028, whichever screen they choose to use.”
