FOX Sports announced Tuesday it has partnered with Facebook to stream UEFA Champions League matches in the U.S. during the 2017-18 season on Facebook Live, which continues to become a destination for soccer streaming.
FOX Sports will stream half of the matches on the FOX Sports Facebook Page and the other half in Spanish on the FOX Deportes Facebook Page beginning in September during group stage competition. The deal includes two matches per day in the group stage, four Round of 16 matches and four quarterfinal matches. Some matches will even be exclusive to Facebook and FOX Sports GO while others will be simulcast on television.
“This collaboration unlocks new distribution for FOX, giving the network a national platform for matches that won’t always be televised,” Dan Reed, Facebook’s Head of Global Sports Partnerships, said in a statement. “And with different matches broadcast in English and Spanish on Facebook, our community of fans will have plenty of action to cheer on and chat about once the group stage kicks off in September.”
Soccer is the most-followed sport on Facebook, and because of that, the company has done deals to bring the sport to the Facebook Live platform. In partnership with Univision Deportes, fans in the U.S. have been able to watch MLS and Liga MX matches.
“Facebook is a social media powerhouse and a great partner to help us grow soccer in the United States,” David Nathanson, Head of Business Operations, FOX Sports, said in a statement. “As people spend more and more time on mobile devices and social networks, offering matches on this platform is a natural extension. This year’s UEFA Champions League final saw 34 million people have 98 million interactions on Facebook, so we are thrilled to be able to offer top-notch content to their immense soccer community.”
