The Walt Disney Company has secured the exclusive broadcasting rights to UEFA's three major club competitions in Belgium, according to a report from Belgian media outlet DH. The deal, which covers the 2027 to 2031 cycle, will see Disney+ stream all matches from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Europa Conference League. This marks a significant shift in the Belgian media landscape, ending long-standing partnerships with incumbent broadcasters.
The agreement removes the rights from RTL, which had held them since 2000, and Proximus, which had been a rights holder since 2012. The move represents Disney+'s most substantial foray into live elite European football in the region, expanding its sports portfolio following its existing coverage of the UEFA Women's Champions League in France. The platform is subscription-based, which presents a specific challenge under Belgian law regarding the broadcast of matches involving domestic clubs.
Belgian legislation designates matches featuring the country's clubs in European competitions as 'events of major importance,' meaning they must be made available on free-to-air television. Disney+ will therefore be required to sublicense these specific fixtures to a terrestrial channel accessible to all viewers without a subscription. How the platform will navigate this regulatory requirement, whether through a partnership with an existing broadcaster or another model, remains to be seen.
The acquisition underscores the growing competition from global streaming services in the European sports rights market, challenging traditional broadcasters. For Disney, it is a strategic play to boost subscriber numbers and engagement in a key European market by securing one of the most coveted sports properties. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
This move contrasts with the situation in neighboring France, where Canal+ recently retained the domestic rights for the same UEFA competition cycle. The Belgian market will now serve as a test case for a major streaming service acting as the primary holder of top-tier European football rights, balancing exclusivity with regulatory obligations for free access.
