The multinational marquee OTT medium, Amazon Prime Video has secured media rights to stream Copa America USA 2024 in Japan.
Under the agreement, Prime Video Japan will be the only broadcaster of all group-stage matches for this year’s tournament, which takes place in the US between June 20 and July 14. More importantly, live coverage of every knockout match from the 16-team competition will also be provided.
For Prime Video, which had previously limited its live sports offerings in Japan to boxing and baseball, this is a major addition of rights. Previously, Abema TV broadcast coverage of the 2021 Copa America, which Argentina won in Brazil.
Dentsu, a significant Japanese distributor, is handling the media rights for this year’s edition as part of a deal that also includes the 2028 Copa America.
Japanese Prime Video subscribers will be able to watch Copa America action for free.
Takashi Kodama, Country Director of Prime Video Japan, said, “We at Prime Video are extremely delighted to bring the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 to the football-loving people of Japan. The popularity of the sport in the country is at an all-time high, with consistent performances by the national team at various international tournaments as well as Japanese players making their mark in top leagues across the globe. Prime Video has livestreamed important world-class sporting events in the past, including multiple boxing world title fights and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
“We’re thrilled to now add this coveted and highly-anticipated football tournament to the line-up of live sports streaming on our service. I am certain that, just like me, there are many football fans in Japan who are hoping to watch the tournament favorites Argentina and Brazil play out another nail-biting finale that will also see former winners Uruguay and Chile trying their best to upend the competition.”
Eight knockout games and the six group stage matches between Brazil and Argentina will be televised in total, with the championship match scheduled for July 14 (July 15 for Japanese viewers). Due to the time difference, all of the Prime Video games will take place in the middle of the morning in Japan (even though they are held during primetime in the US).
Six teams from North and Central America (Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, and the US) are competing in the quadrennial Copa America this year, along with ten South American sides.