Portugal: petition launched by SL Benfica to review the audiovisual rights centralisation model

The petition "for the suspension and review of the centralised commercialisation model for audiovisual rights," submitted by SL Benfica (Liga Portugal Betclic) on 7 August, has been accepted by the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic and can now be signed electronically, the club announced on 10 August 2026.

The petition, whose first signatory is Benfica president Rui Costa, is open for signatures for 60 days. "It seeks to suspend the implementation of the current model for the centralisation of audiovisual rights for professional football until an independent technical, economic and legal assessment has been carried out, as well as to review the solutions currently envisaged," the club explained. Benfica currently holds a record TV rights deal with operator NOS for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons (€57.1m per year, see below).

Among the arguments put forward by Benfica are "the profound transformation of the audiovisual market, the need for structural reforms that contribute to enhancing the value of Portuguese football, and the importance of preserving the economic and asset value…