Spain: "The RFEF is covering up the 1-year extension to the current VAR service provider" (Mediapro)

"With the delay in issuing a new tender (for the provision of the VAR service from the 2023-24 season), the Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol has covertly awarded one more year of the contract to the current provider (the British company Hawk Eye), an action which seriously damages the rights of Mediapro, a FIFA approved provider which provides VAR services to the UEFA, FIFA, CONMEBOL and CONCACAF competitions as well as to several national leagues," said the Spanish audiovisual group Mediapro on 13/07/2023.

The RFEF has announced the cancellation of the call for tenders (launched on 23/03/2023) for the provision of the VAR service for its competitions from the 2023-24 season, on 10/07/2023. The Commercial Court of Madrid (ESP) had provisionally suspended, at Mediapro's request, as announced by the group on 24/04/2023.

"The RFEF has implemented anti-competitive bidding legal grounds to benefit one competitor and to prejudice MEDIAPRO, conditioning, in a narrow market with few agents, the awarding of certain services (VAR) to the possibility of providing other accessory services…