Sky Italia swoops for European Qualifiers

Italian pay-television operator Sky Italia has acquired the rights to the qualification matches of all European national teams for Uefa Euro 2016 and the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

Sky secured live rights to all qualification matches not involving Italy for both competitions and delayed rights to Italy matches. The live rights to Italy qualification matches for both competitions were acquired by state broadcaster Rai in April.

The qualifier rights are sold by the CAA Eleven agency on behalf of Uefa, European football’s governing body.

Meanwhile, Fox Sports, the premium channel which is carried by both Sky and its rival pay-television platform, Mediaset Premium, acquired the live rights to the Brazilian football league, the Campeonato Brasileiro, and the Dutch Eredivisie.

Fox also acquired the rights to the International Champions Cup, the pre-season friendly competition which takes place in July, and this summer will feature Serie A clubs AC Milan, Inter and Roma.

Fox Sports and Sky Italia are both owned by Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox.