AFC and beIN MEDIA GROUP Agree Landmark Long-Term Deal in MENA extending relationship over two decades to 2032
DOHA – 
:
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and
beIN MEDIA GROUP (“beIN”) have agreed a landmark new long-term deal in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region covering the AFC’s competitions over three cycles up to 2032.
For the initial 2022-2024 period, the agreement grants beIN – whose flagship channel is beIN SPORTS – exclusive rights to all AFC competitions in certain MENA territories, excluding Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, IR Iran and Iraq. beIN’s exclusive territories are (14): Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. In addition, beIN SPORTS has non-exclusive broadcast rights in the following territories: Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan. For the 2025-2028 and 2029-2032 cycles, beIN has exclusive rights to all AFC competitions across 17 countries of MENA and non-exclusive rights in 6 countries of MENA (see full summary of rights and territories below).
Through this partnership between AFC and beIN, which originally dates back to 2010,
beIN SPORTS will showcase the new AFC rights on its four dedicated AFC channels, which will all allow concurrent viewing of games. Every AFC broadcast on beIN features the best-in-class studio analysis presented by beIN’s top punditry team using beIN’s state-of-the-art studio facilities and technology.
The AFC rights will be available across all beIN’s subscription packages and add to beIN SPORTS’ unparalleled sports portfolio across the MENA region, which also includes exclusive rights to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, the FA Cup, and a multitude of other sports rights and entertainment offerings.
Group CEO of beIN Media Group, Yousef Al-Obaidly, said: “We are delighted to enter this long–term partnership with the Asian Football Confederation up to 2032. It is a hugely significant deal for beIN and our business, showing our complete commitment both to premium rights and to the long-term. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM later this year is simply the beginning of our plans at beIN, and this deal is just one proof-point of that.
“The AFC rights add to our unparalleled suite of major sports and entertainment rights within our portfolio over the coming decade. This new deal continues to firmly establish beIN as the home of sport and entertainment in MENA – both now and for decades to come. We look forward to being a trusted partner of Asian football across the entire region.”
AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, said: “The AFC is delighted to enter into this significant partnership with beIN, who have been loyal partners of the Asian game since 2010. This long-term deal underlines not only the ever-growing stature of the AFC’s world class competitions but also the confidence top broadcasters have in the future of Asian football; and for decades beIN has simply been best-in-class in this region.
“MENA is home to some of the most ardent supporters of Asian football and we are pleased to be able to grow the consumption of AFC football with the hundreds of millions of passionate fans across the MENA region.”
Summary of Rights
2022-2024 rights
beIN territories (19): Exclusive territories are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. In addition, the non-exclusive territories as follows: Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan.
Rights:
- AFC Asian Cup Finals 2023
- AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals 2022
- AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Final Round) for Paris 2024
- AFC U20 Asian Cup Finals 2023
- AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals 2023
- AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Finals 2024
- AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Finals 2024
- AFC Futsal Asian Cup Finals 2022, 2024 (2024 acting as the 2024 FIFA World Futsal Championships – Asian Final Qualifying Round)
- AFC Solidarity Cup 2024
- AFC Champions League 2022, 2023, 2024 (group stage, knock-out stage, and finals)
- AFC Cup 2022, 2023, 2024 (group stage, knock-out stage, and finals)
- AFC Futsal Club Championship Finals 2023, 2024
2025-2028 rights and 2029-2032 rights
beIN territories (23): Exclusive in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, , Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, and Yemen; and non-exclusive in Chad, Djibouti, IR Iran, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan.
- AFC Asian Qualifiers – FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers Final Round, FIFA World Cup 2030 Asian Qualifiers Final Round including play-off
- AFC Asian Cup Finals (one Competition during each Cycle)
- AFC Women’s Asian Cup Finals (one Competition during each Cycle)
- AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2032 (two Competitions during each Cycle)
- AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Final Round) for Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032
- AFC U20 Asian Cup Finals (one Competition during each Cycle)
- AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals (one Competition during each Cycle)
- AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Finals (two Competitions during each Cycle)
- AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Finals (two Competitions during each Cycle)
- AFC Futsal Asian Cup Finals (two Competitions during each Cycle)
- AFC Solidarity Cup (year(s) TBC)
- AFC Champions League – group stage, knock-out stage, and finals (annually during each Cycle)
- AFC Cup – group stage, knock-out stage, and finals (annually during each Cycle)
- AFC Futsal Club Championship Finals (annually during each Cycle)
