The deal will run till the end of the 2025-26 season. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion. The league is also launching a feed that will encourage viewers to watch the five matches taking place simultaneously on a Saturday evening.

Peer Naubert, Bundesliga International’s chief marketing officer, said, “Building long-term relationships with them is key to our strategy as we seek to cement our position as the fastest growing league. The success of this model is clear when we see that our live audience numbers have doubled in the last two seasons, and ensuring our fans feel connected, no matter where they are in the world, is extremely important to us.“

He added that the league is often considered the home of Asian talent, having fielded more Asian players in the last 20 years than the other top four European leagues combined. “We value this position and, working alongside Sony, hope to inspire the next generation of Indian football talent,” said Naubert.

Rajesh Kaul, chief revenue officer for distribution and international business and head of the sports cluster for the broadcaster, added, “We have seen a significant growth in viewership since we started broadcasting the Bundesliga on our network. The stature of the league, the legacy of the clubs as well as the players, the favourable broadcast timing in conjunction with our marketing and programming efforts will further help grow the following in India.”

In May 2023, Bundesliga International collaborated with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the DFB to host the India U-17 national team for a 15-day training camp in Germany, where the team trained and played friendly matches against youth teams from FC Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart.

Updated: 03 Aug 2023, 04:56 PM IST