Public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF have extended their deal with the German Football Association (DFB), which includes national team and club competition rights, through to mid-2018.
Under the terms of the new two-year deal brokered between the DFB and SportA, the sports rights agency for ARD and ZDF, the broadcasters will continue to hold the rights to friendly games played by the men’s national team, along with the women’s team.
ARD and ZDF will also hold rights to the 3. Liga, the third tier of men’s club football, as well as the women’s Bundesliga.
DFB general secretary Helmut Sandrock said: “SportA has scored a highly attractive package of rights and in return we guarantee that our teams and competitions retain a wide audience.”
Commercial broadcaster RTL holds the centrally-marketed rights to Germany’s qualifying games for Uefa Euro 2016 and the 2018 Fifa World Cup.
ARD also has rights to the DFB Cup men’s club competition alongside pay-television broadcaster Sky. European pay-television sports broadcaster Eurosport broadcasts the week’s top game from the women’s Bundesliga and selected national team youth games.