International Cricket Council (ICC) events are set to gain expanded coverage in Sri Lanka, via a carriage deal between pay-TV broadcaster Dialog TV and free-to-air (FTA) network TV Supreme.
Dialog TV had snapped up exclusive rights in the country to air all ICC events through 2028 in November, with the deal covering eight tournaments in total, including the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India in February and March.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The two-year agreement covers all major ICC tournaments across men’s, women’s, and U-19 formats, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and T20 World Cups, the ICC World Test Championship Final, and other ICC events from 2026 to 2028.
At the time of the agreement, the ICC said Dialog TV would cover the events through a combination of FTA broadcasting and streaming, ensuring “expansive access to all matches.”
Now, this new carriage deal fulfills Dialog TV’s FTA obligation, with TV Supreme to air all ICC events through 2028, and also marks the first time a pay-TV company in Sri Lanka has entered into such a deal with an FTA broadcaster.
The deal starts with the T20 World Cup next month, ensuring wide coverage of that event – matches will air on both Dialog TV and TV Supreme.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta has said: “The ICC’s endeavour is to grow the game and is committed to widening the on-screen access fans have to the sport’s pinnacle events. This new partnership between Dialog Television and TV Supreme represents a significant step towards that goal, taking the game to the widest possible audience across Sri Lanka.
“With Sri Lanka co-hosting ICC Men’s T20 World Cup this year and the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy next year, we hope that the expanded visibility will exponentially galvanize passion for the sport and inspire a new generation of Cricket fans.”
Dialog TV’s rights deal with the ICC came after the governing body launched a tender last August.
Before that, the rights were held on the island by Maharaja TV, in a deal unveiled last April 2024 that only ran through 2025.
Supun Weerasinghe, group chief executive of Dialog Axiata, added: " Securing the exclusive ICC media rights from 2026 to 2028 reflects Dialog Television's long-term commitment to shaping how Sri Lankans experience the world's biggest sporting moments.
“Together with TV Supreme, our free-to-air broadcast partner, we are building an inclusive viewing experience that ensures global cricket is accessible to fans across the island."
Aside from in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, the ICC's other major broadcast rights deals in the various cricket-loving markets are all mostly long-term affairs.
