Berlin – The German Football League (DFL) has generated €4.484 billion ($4.712 billion) from the sale of national broadcast rights for the seasons 2025/26-2028/29, a slight increase in contrast to a negative trend in other European top leagues.
The DFL said on Thursday that the figure was €84 million more than it received for the Bundesliga and second division rights 2021-2025, a rise of 2%.
The Italian and Spanish leagues have seen lower income for the upcoming seasons while France had to swallow a significant drop.
England’s Premier League generated a record €8.08 billion for the period, but even that is a relative decline because the number of matches offered for broadcast rose significantly from 200 to 270.
“This is an outstanding result. This is a good day for German football,” DFL presidium spokesman Hans-Joachim Watzke said, adding that “the whole of Europe will take notice.”
DFL managing director Steffen Merkel said that Germany “retains the second strongest media contract of all football leagues around the world.”
Sky TV and streaming portal DAZN will continue to share pay TV broadcasts, in a slightly different way than up to now. Fans still needing both subscriptions to watch every match of their favourite team.
The most important free TV highlights rights went to public broadcasters ARD and ZDF, with their decades-old formats Sportschau and Sportstudio, respectively. Other packages went to ProSiebenSat.1 and RTL.
The eight-day tender was originally to take place in April but suspended after DAZN said they were unfairly treated by the DFL.
The German Institution for Arbitration (DIS) partially upheld a DAZN appeal and ruled that the DFL must hold a new tender which started last week.
