EUROSPORT SWEDEN LANDS RIGHTS TO ALLSVENSKAN FROM 2020

The new agreement will see Eurosport become the exclusive home of the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s premier football league, for the first time. Eurosport will hold all broadcast and digital rights exclusively and make matches more accessible and less costly to fans across all screens.

Under the agreement, Eurosport will also be the exclusive broadcaster for the Superettan, Sweden’s second-tier national league.

The addition of the Allsvenskan establishes Eurosport – The Home of the Olympics in Sweden – as the leader in first-class, locally relevant and exclusive sport in Sweden. 

Week-after-week, Eurosport engages Swedish sports fans with must-see sports action, featuring the biggest stars and the most popular talent. Eurosport’s extensive offering includes a wide range of national team matches such as the UEFA European Qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup as well as European club competitions including the UEFA Europa League. 

Discovery also continues to invest in Eurosport’s digital platform, last year announcing a partnership with Major League Baseball’s BAMTech platform across Europe.

The Allsvenskan is one of the biggest and most popular sport leagues in the country – with the League enjoying interest, excitement and engagement from fans like never before. Renowned for having a passionate fanbase, the community of supporters continue to create a special atmosphere in stadiums across Sweden.

The league has a world-wide reputation for producing some of the world’s greatest footballing talent like the iconic Henrik Larsson, global superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Emil Forsberg, who has already earned over 20 caps for the Swedish national team.

Michael Lang, President International Development, Digital & Discovery Nordics, said: “Football is one of the biggest sports in Sweden, and Allsvenskan is right at the very core of that passion, inspiring fans all across the country. 

“Our goal will be to bring these games to more fans than ever - via Eurosport and our flagship channel Kanal 5 - and most importantly across all devices through our ground-breaking Eurosport digital platforms which will offer an enhanced viewing experience and ability for fans to watch anywhere, anytime and on any screen. 

“We are also proud to have the privilege to showcase the Allsvenskan after the great job done by our colleagues at CMore Sports, who set such a high standard.”

Mats Enquist, Secretary General, Swedish Elite Football Asssociation, said: “We have conducted a thorough, open and transparent process where all interested bidders have been given the chance and done a great job.

“Based on this examination we have chosen Discovery who presented the best case. That is why we have decided to make this historic change starting from the 2020 season, and we are looking forward to work with Discovery.”

Emir Osmanbegovic, Director Sports, Discovery Networks Sweden and Eurosport Sweden, added: “Securing the Allsvenskan in Sweden signifies the growth of Eurosport in the country around more first-class, locally relevant and exclusive content.  We look forward to partnering with SEF and the clubs to share the special atmosphere of the Allsvenskan with even more people, making matches more accessible for everybody. 

“We will match the passion and commitment of the fans and work hard to take the viewing experience for Swedish football fans to new heights.”

Eurosport’s football portfolio for fans in Sweden currently includes exclusive coverage of the Swedish national team’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, the German Bundesliga and the UEFA Europa League, with the final to be played at the Swedish National Stadium, Friends Arena, on May 24. 

Eurosport also has one of Sweden’s strongest sports talent line-ups on screen, with Niklas Jarelind, Karin Frick, Jonas Karlsson and Simon Bank flanked by such iconic star players Kim Källström and Anders Svensson – the pair having won 279 Swedish caps between them – as expert commentators.