iQIYI Sports, the Chinese digital streaming platform, has renewed its rights deal covering European soccer’s UEFA club competitions for the 2027-31 cycle.
The four-year agreement will see the service continue to show the elite UEFA Champions League (UCL), second-tier Europa League, third-tier Conference League, and development category Youth League, as well as the Super Cup, which is contested by the UCL and Europa League winners.
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The deal covers the People’s Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan).
The extension was brokered by the UC3 commercial arm, a joint venture between UEFA and the European Football Clubs body, and Relevent Football partners, UEFA’s sales agency for the club competitions through 2033, spanning media, sponsorship, and licensing rights.
iQIYI’s contract in the current four-year cycle (2023-27) is worth around $10 million per year.
Sportcal understands the new deal is a significant uplift on the current figure, with iQIYI bidding aggressively to stave off competition from other interested parties.
iQIYI has exclusively broadcast UEFA men’s club competitions in the People’s Republic of China since 2024.
The platform is also a partner across other UEFA rights including national teams.
In terms of recent deals for UEFA men’s club competitions, telecoms firm Advanced Info Services is set to secure rights in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia after becoming the governing body’s preferred bidder.
International pay-TV media powerhouse Canal+ acquired the rights in a range of territories across sub-Saharan Africa last month, while NBC-owned Spanish-language US broadcaster Telemundo also agreed a deal for the next cycle.
UEFA went to market with tenders in several other Asian territories in recent months, including Taiwan and South Korea.
The continental body also recently issued a tender in a trio of Baltic markets.
