BeIN To Broadcast World Cup Games For Free Across MENA
June 14, 2018
BeIN Sports are to broadcast 22 World Cup matches for free across the Middle East and North Africa after millions of football fans faced being unable to watch the tournament.
The Doha-based sports channel made the sudden announcement just before the competition opened following consultation with FIFA.
The move took place after a £25million ($33.3m) deal with Saudi Arabia collapsed leaving millions of fans facing the prospect of being unable to watch their country play in today’s tournament opener against hosts Russia.
Commenting on the decision to broadcast the games, Chairman and CEO of beIN MEDIA GROUP, Nasser Al Khelaifi, said: “It is our honour and pleasure to offer free-to-air access to 22 FIFA World Cup matches, offering the most memorable moments of the World Cup in Russia to millions of football fans across the Middle East and North Africa. “Our region has some of the most passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable football fans in the world, and we are delighted to be able to open up access to the tournament to the multitude of fans who will tune in across the region over the coming weeks. This is the first time we have made our content so widely available as we realize how significant and unifying this tournament is for our region.”
