Uefa

Maltese telcos Go and Melita will progress with a long-discussed joint venture after two media-rights deals removed one of its biggest sticking points.

Social media platform Facebook has acquired rights to the Uefa Champions League in Brazil, according to multiple reports, while sports broadcaster Esporte Interativo has extended its deal for the European club football competition.

Sport TV’s attempt to use its dominant position in the Portuguese market to lower media-rights fees has backfired, paving the way for Eleven to become the latest in a long line of competitors.

Uefa’s decision to stick with its incumbent broadcast partners has delivered a modest increase in the value of its club competition rights in Latin America.

Uefa has earned a decent increase in the value of its club competition rights in Canada via a deal with Perform-owned streaming platform DAZN.

Digital media company Perform is close to agreeing a deal for Uefa Champions League and Europa League rights across five Southeast Asian markets, TV Sports Markets understands.

Media holding company Media Group Ukraine has acquired rights to a range of national team properties held by European football’s governing body, Uefa.

Uefa has reversed the falling value of its club competition media rights in Cyprus via an exclusive deal with telco Cyta.

Media group 365 has retained its grip on Uefa Champions League and Europa League media rights in Iceland, paying an increase of about 50 per cent.

Italian public-service broadcaster Rai has bounced back from losing out on rights to this summer’s Fifa World Cup by agreeing three important football deals.

Aggressive bidding from telcos has helped Uefa substantially grow the value of its club competition rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

SportsMax and Flow’s decision to bid jointly for Uefa club competition rights suggests there may be a cooling off period for sports rights in the Caribbean.

Italian state broadcaster Rai has acquired rights to a host of top football content, including the return of the Uefa Champions League to its screens for the first time in six years, while pay-television broadcaster Sky Italia has secured rights to the Euro 2020 national team tournament.

French commercial broadcasters TF1 and M6 have confirmed the acquisition of rights for France national football team matches over four years, from 2018-19 to 2021-22.

Czech public-service broadcaster Česká Televize has secured a package of rights to competitions organised by Uefa, football’s European governing body.

Uefa increased the value of Champions League media rights in Belgium by about 31 per cent last month, while the Europa League grew in value by about 19 per cent.