Champions League in women's European soccer moves to pay-TV in 5-year deal with Disney+
HighlightsThe Women's Champions League will transition to a paywall model on Disney+ for the next five seasons, concluding a previous four-year free viewing period on streaming service DAZN and YouTube. Starting next season, the Women's Champions League will expand from 16 to 18 teams, introducing a single league standings format prior to the knockout stage, alongside the launch of a second tier Women's Europa Cup. The broadcast deal ensures all 75 matches in the newly expanded Champions League will be available to Disney+ subscribers in Europe without additional costs, while selected games will still be accessible through free-to-air networks in various countries.
The
Women's Champions League
in
European soccer
will go mostly behind a paywall for the next five seasons on
Disney+
in a deal announced by
UEFA
's joint venture with top clubs on Friday. The final on Saturday between defending champion Barcelona and Arsenal in Lisbon completes a four-year broadcast deal where fans could watch games for free on streaming service DAZN and YouTube.
The Women's Champions League is expanding next season to 18 teams from 16, in a single league standings instead of groups before the knockout stage. A second tier Women's Europa Cup also will launch.
"The five-year deal will ensure that each of the 75 matches in the newly expanded (Champions League) is available to Disney+ customers in Europe at no additional cost," said UC3, the commercial partnership between UEFA and the European Club Association.
Broadcasts will be produced by Disney-owned ESPN with "multilingual commentary and comprehensive pre- and post-match programming," the UC3 statement said.
The broadcast strategy through 2030 will allow one game per match week to be shown on some free-to-air networks and members of the European Broadcasting Union.
Selected games will be shown in countries including France, Germany and Spain, UC3 said.
The value of the Disney+ and EBU deals were not revealed.
UEFA has projected total "competition revenues" of 33.8 million euros ($38.4 million) next season.
A 25 million euros ($28.4 million) subsidy also comes from men's competitions, including the Champions League, and UEFA is contributing more than 11 million euros ($12.5 million).
That should provide a total prize money fund, once running costs are deducted, of 18.2 million euros ($20.6 million) to share among the 18 Women's Champions League teams in each of the next two seasons, UEFA has said.
Teams in the Women's Europa Cup are set to share a 5.6 million euros ($6.4 million) total prize money fund.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
Second Night Of Paris Mayhem: Looting, Arson On Cam After PSG Parade; 500+ Arrested
/ Jun 02, 2025, 10:32AM IST Paris descended into chaos for a second night as violent riots erupted following PSG's Champions League victory parade. What began as jubilant celebrations quickly turned destructive, with fans clashing with riot police across central Paris. The unrest left burned cars, shattered glass, and looted shops in its wake. At least 563 arrests were made amid scenes of street violence and looting, including a ransacked sports store on the Champs Elysées. The violence followed PSG's 5–0 win over Inter Milan, completing a treble-winning season. French officials condemned the rioting, calling it a disgraceful response to a historic sporting moment.#PSG #ChampionsLeague #PSGWin #DesireDoue #FootballNews #ParisCelebrations
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Unjustifiably low' satcom spectrum price, says COAI
India's top telcos have slammed the satcom recommendations from the telecom regulator, terming the spectrum price as 'unjustifiably low' and said that the proposals are based on "incorrect assumptions" and are "non-transparent".In their first reaction to the recommendations given by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) last month, all three bitter rival operators have closed ranks and said that if implemented in the current form, the regulator's satcom suggestions would create a non-level playing field and impact the sustainability of terrestrial services. In a strongly worded joint letter through the Cellular Operators Association of India ( COAI ) to various government authorities, seen by ET, the carriers highlighted data and said the planned capacity of Elon Musk-owned Starlink and Jeff Bezos led-Amazon Kuiper are set to surpass the current capacity of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. "These recommendations are non-transparent based on non-justifiable assumption rather than factual data," the telcos said in the letter, marked to Trai, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Finance Ministry, Commerce ministry, Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) and Niti Aayog etc. The operators have said the proposed spectrum charges are even lower than the administrative fees currently levied on GSO-based VSAT services-which do not compete with terrestrial networks. "It appears that Trai has underestimated the potential capacities of satellite network while possibly overstating those of terrestrial networks that have resulted in a flawed foundation for the entire exercise," the letter said, adding this fundamental flaw in the capacity assumptions exercise undermines the DoT's clear mandate to ensure competitive parity between satellite and terrestrial services. Trai had recommended the administrative allocation of satcom spectrum for a fee pegged at 4% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to be assigned for five years. There won't be any upfront fee for getting spectrum. Trai chairman AK Lahoti had categorically rejected the level-playing field argument by telcos, stating that the two technologies were different and that satellites could only be complementary. "It's not factually correct that satcom services are competing with terrestrial services because there is a huge difference between the capacity of the terrestrial network and the satellite network," he had said while releasing the recommendations. The telcos, however, feel the entire exercise was flawed as it was based on incorrect assumptions. "Despite a clear mandate from DoT, Trai's consultation process and final recommendations do not appear to address the core issue of competitive parity which shows a misalignment between the intent of DoT references and Trai's approach during the consultation process," the telcos said. The additional proposal by Trai to subsidise user terminals or satellite operators through the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) fund further tilts the level playing field against the terrestrial operator, especially given that a majority of the DBN levy is contributed by telcos.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Rising costs and visa hurdles push international students beyond the US,UK
The United States , long seen as the leading destination for international students , is facing increasing uncertainty. Tightening immigration laws, unpredictable visa rules, and rising tuition costs have made many students reconsider the value of studying there, according to a report by The Times of India. A notable example came when the Trump administration moved to revoke Harvard University 's license to host foreign students. Although courts blocked the move, the incident raised concerns about the country's reliability as an academic host. According to the US State Department, 1.12 million international students in the country contribute over $50 billion to the economy. But funding cuts to universities and tuition fees crossing $100,000 have started to weaken the country's academic appeal. Similar trends are emerging in other English-speaking countries. In the UK , the government is reportedly considering reducing the post-study work visa from two years to 18 months. Restrictions introduced in 2024 also prevent most graduate students from bringing dependents, as reported by Times Higher Education . Canada , which once welcomed international students in large numbers, has now placed a two-year limit on new enrolments. ICEF Monitor notes that foreign students previously made up 2.5% of the Canadian population. Australia has also imposed enrolment caps, raised visa fees, and increased oversight, with Reuters attributing these moves to domestic political pressure. While traditional destinations impose new limits, several countries are positioning themselves as alternatives. These include nations that are facing ageing populations and shrinking youth numbers. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Japan, where the population of 18-year-olds has nearly halved in 30 years, aims to host 400,000 international students by 2033, according to The Hechinger Report. South Korea is targeting 300,000 students by 2027, with one in five people already over the age of 65, CNN reports. Singapore has relaxed permanent residency rules for foreign graduates. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia are also expanding their reach in the international education market. Live Events You Might Also Like: Trump administration gives Harvard 30 days to defend foreign student program certification India has announced plans to attract 500,000 foreign students by 2047. With its growing education system and widespread English instruction, the country is seeking to become a serious destination for international education. Several European countries are seeing a rise in international enrolments as well. Germany and Spain recently hit record numbers. Though English-language programs remain limited, lower tuition fees are drawing interest. For example, Japan's average annual tuition is about $4,000. Some US universities are now opening campuses abroad to bypass immigration hurdles. Other institutions are stepping in to fill gaps. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology recently announced plans to admit students affected by US visa uncertainties. "The university will provide unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures, and academic support to facilitate a seamless transition for interested students," the institution stated on its website. You Might Also Like: Global universities step in as US cracks down on foreign students These developments suggest a shift toward a more distributed and competitive global education system . While the US, UK, and Australia remain influential, they no longer dominate. With global politics and demographics in flux, students are now choosing based on visa policies , costs, and career prospects as much as academic prestige. The global education landscape is undergoing change, and new players are emerging with long-term strategies to attract international talent.
