beIN SPORTS USA in talks over rights to Portuguese Primeira Liga
beIN SPORTS USA is in talks to acquire US media rights to Portugal’s Primeira Liga, sources close to the situation have told World Soccer Talk.
The new development comes after World Soccer Talk revealed last week that beIN SPORTS renewed Ligue 1 rights until the end of the 2028/29 season. Discussions between executives at the Primeira Liga and beIN SPORTS began after concerns were raised about GolTV‘s financial situation. While GolTV has struggled for years since losing many subscribers, it has still managed to hold on to the rights for the Portuguese, Uruguayan, and Peruvian leagues.
World Soccer Talk reached out to beIN SPORTS for comment. A spokeswoman said, “beIN SPORTS is focused on delivering top-quality content to North America fans, like Ligue 1, and don’t have anything else to share at this moment.”
If a deal can be finalized between beIN SPORTS and Liga Portugal’s governing body, beIN SPORTS plans to produce the games out of the MediaPro offices in Mexico City, sources have told World Soccer Talk. Currently, GolTV broadcasts games in both English and Portuguese languages.
Portugal’s football factory
Liga Portugal’s 2024/25 season opened on August 9 after Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated Rio Ave by three goals to one.
The Portuguese league is one of the top “soccer factories” in the world, which has continued to develop a conveyor belt of technically gifted talent. Many of those promising Primeira Liga players feature for Benfica, FC Porto, and Sporting CP before moving on to bigger European clubs.
Vice-versa, the three aforementioned teams are also a destination for quality players wanting to play in the UEFA Champions League. Oftentimes, you see players moving from South America to Portugal first as a stepping stone before heading on to the Premier League or LaLiga. Enzo Fernández is a recent example. He moved from River Plate to Benfica, before transferring to Chelsea.
As of March 2024, Opta Power Rankings rated the Primeira Liga as the seventh-strongest soccer league worldwide based on its competitiveness.
Photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire