Fears that UEFA Nations League games will be streaming only after 2024 have subsided after rights holder Viaplay announced it was buying Premier Sports.
The streaming service, which will launch in the UK this autumn, recently acquired the rights to show Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland games, plus a selection of other European countries from 2024.
Viaplay says it will rebrand Premier Sports. But the channels will remain on TV platforms including Sky, Virgin Media and Amazon. Viewers will as a result be able to choose between watching through a regular broadcast TV service or via streaming.
The announcement, made this morning, also sheds light on what’s happening with NHL broadcast rights. Viaplay announced it had acquired the rights in April, but Premier Sports continued to tell viewers on social media it would show NHL games in the autumn. Now Premier Sports has been taken over by Viaplay, all coverage will end up under one roof – through the soon-to-be rebranded TV channels and the Viaplay streaming service.
Full details of what the takeover means for current subscribers with regards pricing is yet to be confirmed.
Sports that Viaplay has the UK rights to:
(July 2022)
- UEFA Nations League & European Qualifiers (excluding England) until 2028 [The rights up to 2024 was held by Premier Sports; thereafter Viaplay. The 2022-24 rights exclude Wales]
- NHL ice hockey: 2022 to 2027
- KSW mixed martial arts: 2022 to 2025
- IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship: 2024 to 2028
- Champions Hockey League: 2023/2024 to 2027/2028
- ISU figure skating and speed skating: 2023 to 2028 (ISU World Figure Skating Championships from 2024)
- EHF European Handball Championship, EHF Champions League and EHF European League (men and women): 2022 to 2030
- CEV EuroVolley, CEV Champions League, CEV EuroBeachVolley and additional CEV volleyball competitions: 2022 to 2026
- World Athletics Continental Tour Gold: 2023 to 2029
- World Athletics Indoor Tour: 2023
- FIS snowboard and freestyle: 2022 to 2026 (non-exclusive).
- La Liga,
- Scottish Cup,
- Scottish League Cup
- Coppa Italia
- United Rugby Championship,
- Rugby Football League
- Top 14 rugby;
- NASCAR motorsport
- Elite Ice Hockey League.