UEFA launches streaming platform to give fans greater access to football
The Union of European Football Association (UEFA) has launched a free-to-air OTT digital platform, with the aim of giving viewers greater access to live and on-demand video content.
Initially, UEFA.tv will provide football fans with an entertainment platform that offers original programming based on 60 years of European football archives.
The platform will also give access to youth, women's and futsal competitions, which will widen live coverage to these burgeoning areas of the UEFA.
UEFA.tv will also offer behind-the-scenes content, interviews and a range of additional content to promote all of its competitions.
The German Bundesliga will be the first national league to be represented on UEFA.tv.
In a partnership with Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) - the body responsible for operating Bundesliga - there will be a separate channel on the streaming platform that has videos from the league as well as European competitions.
This is the first time the football governing body has launched such an initiative.
It will include Monday highlights of the weekend matches, as well as a"Bundesliga Special" show. Archived films of Bundesliga match moments and unforgettable UEFA Champions League matches involving German teams will also be available.
Discussing the launch, UEFA's President Aleksander Čeferin said: “The digital landscape is evolving and we need to be in a position where we can anticipate and respond to these changes.
"UEFA is an innovative organisation and by introducing this platform, we will be making football and our competitions more accessible to supporters around the world.
“Our partnership with the Bundesliga is yet another example of the unity of European football and clearly demonstrates our desire to address future opportunities together for the promotion of our sport.”