As part of a long-term rights arrangement, Viaplay has been named as the exclusive streaming home of the English Football League (EFL) Sky Bet Championship and Carabao Cup in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland, and the Netherlands beginning with the 2022/2023 season.
Every season, Viaplay will broadcast more than 180 live matches from England’s hugely popular second division, including the Sky Bet Play-Off Semi-Finals and Finals. Fans can also follow Premier League and EFL clubs through every round of the Carabao Cup, which concludes in a spectacular final at London’s famed Wembley Stadium.
The Championship is Europe’s fourth most-watched league, and as the EFL’s top league, it draws millions of fans through the turnstiles each season. Famous clubs that have competed in the Championship in recent years include Aston Villa, Derby County, Fulham, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, and West Bromwich Albion. Every season, the top two clubs are promoted to the Premier League, with a third-place determined by a highly anticipated Play-Off Final.
The Carabao Cup, which is currently held by Liverpool, is available to all 92 teams in the English league structure and is played over seven elimination rounds. The winner earns a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League the following season.
Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group Chief Sports Officer, said, “Sports fans everywhere know there’s nothing like English football. Its blend of skills, passion, tradition, and unpredictability makes it a winner, on and off the pitch. Viaplay already holds Premier League rights in nine countries. Securing the EFL Championship and Carabao Cup in this long-term partnership means we can offer fans great value as the home of English football, all on a single world-class platform.”
For selected EFL Championship and Carabao Cup matches, Viaplay will provide local language commentary and studio programs.
Viaplay has exclusive rights to transmit Premier League in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, and will soon expand to include Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the Netherlands.