Asian Football Confederation: broadcasting contract with Super Sports Media in China terminated

The Asian Football Confederation is terminating its broadcasting contract with Chinese company Super Sports Media (owned by Chinese multinational sports and entertainment company Wuhan DDMC), which has been holding the rights to broadcast AFC competitions in China over the 2021-2024 cycle, announced Wuhan DDMC on 02/11/2022.

Super Sports Media has reportedly failed to pay $45m (same amount in euros) to the AFC for the year 2022, which was due on 01/10/2022. The Chinese company was unable to pay "due to the high debt ratio of the company in recent years, the shortage of operating cash flow, and the delayed collection of related receivables," explained Wuhan DDMC.

Wuhan DDMC, parent company of Super Sports Media, held the broadcasting rights to AFC competitions over the 2021-2024 cycle. The group was broadcasting content on its Chinese streaming platform iQiyi Sports, and had sublicensed the rights to broadcast certain AFC competitions to the Chinese telecommunications operator China Mobile, for its streaming platform Migu, on 26/11/2020.

• The Hong Kong-based marketing agency Football…