DAZN, the global sports streaming platform, has acquired global rights to broadcast the UEFA Women’s Champions League and has been awarded host broadcaster duties for the next four seasons, from 2021-25.
As part of this landmark agreement, to further grow the sport, DAZN has also entered into a groundbreaking partnership with YouTube that will make the competition live and free for fans around the world for the first time.
This trailblazing move marks the first time UEFA has centralized all Women’s Champions League matches globally.
At a time when professional women’s sport continues to fight for more exposure, this new partnership brings visibility like never before to players, clubs, and the elite competition itself by making matches all season long available to fans all over the globe.
For the first two seasons (2021-23), fans will be able to watch live and on demand all 61 matches from the group stage onwards on DAZN and free on DAZN’s YouTube channel. For the last two seasons (2023-25), all 61 matches will be live on DAZN while 19 matches will be made available for free on DAZN’s YouTube channel.
The multi-year deal grants DAZN exclusive rights worldwide, with the exception of the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) – where rights do include clips and highlights – and China and its territories.
The agreement is one of the largest broadcast deals in women’s club football history and signifies another game-changing move in DAZN’s long-time global commitment to women’s sport, centered on the mission of growing the UEFA Women’s Champions League, turning more players and teams into household names, and inspiring the next generation of players – all of which starts with more people around the world watching the game.
To that end, DAZN has released a campaign film today entitled “We ALL Rise With More Eyes” – the debut content on its new UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube channel. Directed by multi-award winner Alyssa Boni and voiced over by UK rapper FLOHIO, the short film powerfully conveys in just under two minutes DAZN’s long-term vision of the unstoppable impact more visibility will have on taking the women’s competition to new heights.
Specifically, it brings to life the incredible ripple effect that more eyes will undoubtedly have on the game.
James Rushton, Co-CEO of DAZN Group, said of the deal: “DAZN is thrilled to be the new global broadcaster for UEFA Women’s Champions League and cannot wait to work with YouTube and Google to bring fans closer to the game and shine a brighter light on its stars than ever before.
"DAZN was founded with a vision of making premium sports more accessible, and what’s more accessible than centralised rights for the first time and all matches free on YouTube? Overnight, this will make the best women’s football easier to watch around the world than ever before.
"Along the way, we look forward to elevating live broadcast production, extending existing DAZN content franchises, and unveiling new shows that showcase the breadth and brilliance of women’s football.”
Nadine Kessler, Chief of Women’s Football at UEFA, added: “This deal is a first for women’s football as this partnership between UEFA and DAZN and YouTube will make sure that the UEFA Women’s Champions League can be seen by the fans, by all the people who love this game, wherever they are on the globe.
"Such visibility changes everything, as the best female players and best women’s teams in the world can inspire more young girls and boys to fall in love with this sport. Together we are all bringing women’s football to the world and everyone who will tune in will truly make a difference to something bigger.”
Olympique Lyonnais star Ada Hegerberg, the all-time top scorer in UEFA Women’s Champions League history, said: “I am beyond excited for this partnership.
"For years, people have struggled to have access to our games, wherever they were living. Now, they have the unique opportunity to watch all over the world if they’d like to. The game is opening up to millions, potentially billions, which is unprecedented.
"This is a game-changing partnership that is only right for the biggest club competition in women’s football. We are finally being given something we’ve asked for a long time. It’s about time women’s football got this kind of exposure!”