AFC Renews Media Rights Agreement with ESPN for Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced the renewal of its media rights agreement with ESPN for the 2025–2028 cycle, ensuring that ESPN will remain a key distribution partner for AFC competitions across Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The extended partnership underscores the growing international demand for Asian football content and further positions the AFC as a globally consumed football property.

Key Details of the Media Agreement AFC ESPN

Under the new agreement:

ESPN retains exclusive rights to AFC competitions in South and Central America.
In the Caribbean, ESPN will continue as a non-exclusive partner.
The deal covers all major AFC competitions, including:
- AFC Asian Qualifiers™ (for the 2026 FIFA World Cup)
- AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™
- AFC Champions League Elite™
- AFC Champions League Two™
Matches will be made available via ESPN’s linear channels and streaming platforms, including Disney+.

Strategic Expansion of AFC’s Global Media Reach

The renewal reflects a broader strategy by the AFC to extend its global media footprint, particularly in non-Asian territories with growing interest in international football. By maintaining a strong partnership with ESPN—a broadcaster with over 40 million homes in the target regions—the AFC secures premium exposure for its competitions across Latin America and the Caribbean.

This deal follows a trend in rights segmentation, where confederations secure territory-specific agreements to maximize commercial returns and tailor content delivery to regional markets.

Executive Commentary: Aligning Football Content with Global Audiences

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John emphasized ESPN’s longstanding role in promoting Asian football:

“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.”

Michael Walters, VP of Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN International, reinforced the broadcaster’s objective of offering comprehensive global sports coverage:

“We’re thrilled to renew this agreement so 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+.”

ESPN's Strategy in International Sports Broadcasting

ESPN has been active in the Latin American sports broadcasting market since 1989 and in the Caribbean since 2007. The network’s existing infrastructure and multi-platform capabilities allow it to reach diverse audiences across multiple languages and markets, aligning well with the AFC’s global expansion strategy.

The AFC’s competitions will join a portfolio that includes major sports events such as:

UEFA competitions
CONMEBOL events
Grand Slam tennis tournaments
NFL, NBA, MLB, and major golf championships

This makes AFC football part of one of the most diverse live sports portfolios in global broadcasting.

Implications for Asian Football and Commercial Growth

For the AFC, the renewed ESPN deal:

Reinforces the confederation’s ability to monetize media rights outside of Asia.
Boosts brand visibility for national teams and club competitions ahead of key events like the 2026 World Cup and AFC Asian Cup 2027.
Demonstrates the commercial value of Asian football content to global broadcasters, further supporting investment in player development, infrastructure, and marketing across AFC member nations.