Serie A TV rights MENA zone: streaming on YouTube continues while waiting for intermediaries

"With regard to audiovisual rights in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) area, the CEO of Lega Serie A (Luigi De Siervo) will be responsible for awarding an exploratory mandate, for a period of one month and on a non-exclusive basis, to various intermediaries. In the meantime, Lega Serie A will continue to broadcast, solely in this area and free of charge on its YouTube channel, 5 games per matchday with commentary in Arabic," said Lega Serie A, during its general assembly, on 19/10/2021.

Lega Serie A had initially launched a call for tenders for the audiovisual rights to the Italian championship in the MENA region for the 2021-2024 cycle on 15/01/2021, in which beIN Media Group had not participated. The Qatari broadcaster criticised the Italian League for organising the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia, where beIN Sports was banned despite holding, among other things, the broadcasting rights for the Italian championship. The situation in the Middle East has now changed with beIN Sports once again authorised to broadcast in Saudi Arabia (see below).

The Lega Serie A awarded…