Polish soccer’s top-tier Ekstraklasa has struck a partnership with global sports marketing agency IMG, which will serve as a strategic advisor during the sales process for domestic media rights for the next cycle between 2027 and 2031.
The move comes after the 18-team league launched its domestic and international tender last October for the 2027-28 to 2030-31 seasons, led by what it described as a dedicated team of experts.
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At the time, the Ekstraklasa said it would handle the process itself and expected to have broadcast partners in place for the next cycle by the end of 2026.
However, IMG will now step in to contribute to the development of Ekstraklasa’s media rights strategy and work alongside the league in designing the final domestic rights packaging structure and tender framework for partners.
As part of its role, IMG will be actively involved throughout the entire sales process, engaging in discussions and negotiations with prospective broadcasters during the bidding stage and supporting contract negotiations.
Ekstraklasa intends to launch the FRP in September and still expects to have its domestic broadcast partners locked in before the end of the year.
Marcin Animucki, chief executive of Ekstraklasa SA, said: “The media landscape is evolving rapidly, with an increasing number of market participants expanding into new and often distant territories to strengthen their global footprint.
“IMG is one of the world’s leading sports marketing agencies, with extensive experience in both acquisition and commercialization of sports media rights across multiple markets and sporting properties.
“The company maintains strong relationships with broadcasters and streaming platforms worldwide and brings a comprehensive global perspective on the trends shaping the sports media rights industry.
“We believe IMG’s expertise and market insight will strengthen our sales process, so that we can capitalize on Ekstraklasa’s continued growth and build a strong revenue stream for the clubs over the next contract period.”
The Ekstraklasa is currently shown domestically primarily by pay-TV heavyweight Canal Plus, through a four-year deal unveiled in October 2022 worth PLN1.3 billion ($330.3 million), or PLN325 million a year, that runs through the 2026-27 campaign.
A multi-year sub-licensing deal, through which Polish public-service broadcaster TVP also covers live Ekstraklasa action, is in place through 2026-27 (having been unveiled last July).
In a bid to attract lucrative bids, Ekstraklasa has highlighted its recent growth across key areas, including a new attendance record of 4.15 million spectators in stadiums during the 2025-26 season. Viewership across linear and digital platforms, meanwhile, increased by 22% in the same season, while online audiences grew by nearly 50%.
The league’s popularity among younger audiences has expanded in terms of both match attendance and digital engagement, with Ekstraklasa now ranking between sixth and eighth in audience engagement on social media among other top European soccer leagues.
Ekstraklasa also claims to be among the top 10 European leagues by value of its centralized media rights agreements.
Victor Blundell, IMG’s senior vice president of Middle East & Eastern Europe rights, said: “The Ekstraklasa is one of Europe’s fastest-growing football leagues with significant commercial potential. At IMG, we’re uniquely placed to advise on the next step in the league’s commercial development, with our global network of media rights experts and local market insights.
“We’re looking forward to supporting Ekstraklasa in building a strong domestic proposition that will help maximize its growth for the future.”
A key driver for future growth in the league’s rights is the launch of a new media center, Live Park, which will open in 2027 and will serve as a production and content hub.
The €20 million investment is expected to allow full remote match production from the 2027-28 season, with IMG also providing support on the technological infrastructure of the new center to ensure the solutions will be able to meet the evolving needs of the media industry in the future.
The league secured coverage in the US and Canada for the 2025-26 and upcoming 2026-27 season via a deal with international pay-TV heavyweight BeIN Sports – marking the first time the Ekstraklasa received live coverage in North America.
