{"id":111681,"date":"2025-09-01T11:20:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T11:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/111681\/"},"modified":"2025-09-01T11:20:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T11:20:11","slug":"nine-continues-soccer-rights-spree-with-european-world-cup-qualifiers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/111681\/","title":{"rendered":"Nine continues soccer rights spree with European World Cup qualifiers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

Stan\u2019s coverage starts on Friday with four matches. (Stan Sport)<\/p>\n

Stan Sport, the streaming service of Australian commercial broadcaster Nine Network, has enhanced its soccer offering with rights to the European qualifiers for next year\u2019s 2026 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n

Under the deal, Stan Sport will exclusively air all 144 remaining pool fixtures, as well as every play-off match scheduled for March 2026.<\/p>\n

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Stan\u2019s coverage starts on Friday (September 5) with four matches: Netherlands vs Poland, Slovakia vs Germany, Bulgaria vs Spain, and Liechtenstein vs Belgium.<\/p>\n

The qualification format sees 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four, with nations playing each other home and away. The group winner will automatically qualify for the World Cup finals, with the remaining teams competing in play-offs.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s public broadcaster SBS holds the exclusive rights to air the World Cup finals, set to be staged across the US, Canada, and Mexico, and will broadcast all 104 games of the tournament via its SBS and SBS Viceland channels\u00a0and SBS On Demand streaming platform.<\/p>\n

The European qualifiers are the latest soccer rights to be acquired by Stan, having recently secured exclusive rights to England\u2019s top-tier Premier League (EPL) and FA domestic cup as part of a sub-licensing agreement with Optus Sport, the streaming service of the Australian telecoms firm, which is divesting from its broadcast commitments.<\/p>\n

Along with taking over the remaining three years of Optus\u2019 current six-season contract for the EPL, that deal covers rights to Japan\u2019s J.League, South Korea\u2019s K League, and the\u00a0United States\u2019 National Women\u2019s Soccer League.<\/p>\n

Those were added to the broadcaster\u2019s rights to all European soccer\u2019s UEFA club competitions, including the top-tier Champions League, second-tier Europa League, third-tier Conference League, and UEFA Super Cup, as well as Germany\u2019s top knockout soccer competition, DFB-Pokal.<\/p>\n

Last week, Stan continued its soccer rights spree with a new multi-year deal for England\u2019s top-tier Women\u2019s Super League.<\/p>\n

The rights come after Nine Entertainment, the parent company of Nine and Stan, posted revenue of $2.7 billion and a net profit after tax of $133 million in the 2025 financial year.<\/p>\n

Other rights in the country held by Nine include rugby union\u2019s English Premiership, the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship, and SVNS; tennis\u2019 Davis Cup; and motor racing\u2019s Formula E,\u00a0World Athletics Championships, and\u00a0PFL mixed martial arts action.<\/p>\n

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