The English top-flight football, Premier League has renewed its broadcasting agreement with beIN Sports for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The agreement is likely to commence with the 2025–26 season. Although the value of the arrangement has not been confirmed. The existing foreign broadcast agreement between the Premier League and the broadcaster based in Qatar is said to be worth $500 million for the rights to broadcast matches from 2022 to 2025.
The purchase is thought to have received approval from Premier League clubs at the shareholder’s meeting last week.
Throughout the past few years, beIN Sports has been the Premier League’s home for the MENA area, airing all 380 games in over 24 MENA nations, excluding Saudi Arabia. The growing hostility between Saudi Arabia and Qatar has led Saudi Arabia to ban beIN TV coverage in the nation, whose Public Investment Fund (PIF) owns the Premier League team Newcastle United.
The PIF’s goal to help boost Newcastle and create a fanbase may very well be compromised if their matches are not shown on local TV as beIN and the PIF are reportedly unwilling to talk to find a solution.
The Premier League has expressed dissatisfaction with the Saudi’s boycott of beIN coverage, according to The Daily Mail, but they have also admitted that they have no way to prevent it.