AFC and ESPN renew media rights agreement in Central America, South America and the Caribbean
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today announced the extension of its media partnership with ESPN for the 2025-2028 cycle. ESPN will continue to be the exclusive media partner of the AFC’s competitions in South America and Central America as well as the non-exclusive partner in the Caribbean.
The partnership includes the AFC’s top level national team and club competitions: the AFC Asian QualifiersTM, the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027TM, AFC Champions League EliteTM and AFC Champions League TwoTM, which are set to be broadcast on ESPN’s platforms, including ESPN on Disney+.
AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said: “The AFC is delighted to renew our media partnership with ESPN, who have been strong supporters of Asian football and played a key role in expanding the reach of our competitions well beyond the borders of our Continent.
“This deal demonstrates the remarkable appeal and stature of the AFC’s world-class competitions, and we thank ESPN for their firm belief in the future of Asian football.”
Michael Walters, VP Programming & Acquisitions ESPN International, said: “At ESPN, our main goal is to serve the sports fan with a vast array of sportive events and our experts’ analysis. We're thrilled to renew this agreement, so that audiences in Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean can continue to enjoy the AFC’s competitions in real time through ESPN’s linear channels and Disney+.”
First established in 1989 in South and Central America and 2007 in the Caribbean, ESPN’s large coverage network will now enable it to deliver exciting Asian football action to over 40 million homes across the regions, aligning with the AFC’s mission of elevating Asian football and making it more accessible to fans across the globe.
The renewal of this deal marks the latest addition to ESPN’s extensive live sports coverage, which includes major local and international sports properties from football, basketball, baseball, American football, tennis Grand Slams and golf majors.
About the AFC
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up FIFA. Established in 1954, the AFC is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and comprises 47 Member Associations.
The AFC organises the AFC Asian Cup™, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ and the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ which are the flagship Continental national team football and futsal competitions, while the AFC Champions League Elite™ and AFC Women’s Champions League™ are the premier competitions for Asian clubs, drawing millions of fans to the beautiful game across the length and breadth of the Continent and beyond.