Stan Sport Adds 2026 World Cup Qualifiers to Line-Up

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Stan Sport, the streaming arm of Nine Network, has further strengthened its football portfolio after securing the rights to the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The platform aired its first batch of fixtures on 5 September, including Netherlands v Poland, Slovakia v Germany, Bulgaria v Spain and Liechtenstein v Belgium.

In total, Stan Sport will show all 144 remaining pool matches, along with every play-off tie scheduled for March 2026.

The qualifiers feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four, with nations facing each other home and away. Group winners progress directly to the World Cup, while the remaining sides battle it out in the play-offs.

Australia’s public broadcaster SBS continues to hold exclusive rights to the World Cup finals, which will be staged across the US, Canada and Mexico, broadcasting all 104 matches free-to-air on its channels and digital platforms.

Stan’s move to pick up the qualifiers follows an aggressive rights spree that has reshaped the Australian football broadcast landscape.

In recent months, the service has secured the Premier League and FA Cup via a sublicensing deal with Optus Sport, who are stepping back from football coverage, as well as rights to the J.League, K League and National Women’s Soccer League.

This builds on Stan’s already strong slate, which includes exclusive coverage of UEFA’s Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and Super Cup, plus Germany’s DFB-Pokal. Just last week, the platform announced a multi-year deal to broadcast the Women’s Super League (WSL), further expanding its reach into elite women’s football.

Parent company Nine Entertainment recently reported revenues of $2.7 billion and a net profit after tax of $133 million for the 2025 financial year, underlining its financial strength to continue investing heavily in sport.

For Australian football fans, this deal is another major win, bringing one of the most competitive qualifying tournaments in the world to local screens. With Stan Sport now holding rights across Europe, Asia and the women’s game, it cements itself as the all-in-one destination for football in Australia.

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Google expands football footprint with AI partnerships at five European giants

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Image Credit: Paris Sain- Germain

Google has announced long-term partnerships with five of Europe’s biggest football clubs.

Expanding the role of artificial intelligence in fan engagement through collaborations with Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and PSG.

Google Gemini will become each club’s official consumer AI Partner, while Google Pixel will serve as the official smartphone partner.

The partnerships are designed to deliver AI-powered match insights, personalised fan experiences and exclusive behind-the-scenes content across the clubs’ digital platforms.

Supporters will be able to use Gemini to access tactical insights, historical statistics and match analysis while Pixel devices will be used by club media teams to capture content through the company’s “Shot on Pixel” initiative.

A key component of the partnership is the commitment to increasing the visibility of women’s football.

Google confirmed the agreements cover both men’s and women’s teams, with AI tools and Pixel technology set to help produce content and expand the reach of the women’s game through club media channels.

The announcement continues Google’s growing investment in football technology.

Google initially had individual agreements with several of the clubs, including PSG and Liverpool.

By bringing the partnerships together under the Gemini and Pixel brands, Google is positioning artificial intelligence as a core part of the modern football fan experience rather than simply a commercial sponsorship.

For football clubs, the collaboration highlights a broader industry trend towards technology partnerships that extend beyond branding.

AI is increasingly being used to produce personalised content, deliver deeper match analysis and strengthen engagement with large global audiences.

Clubs continue to invest in these growing digital platforms alongside their traditional commercial portfolios.

The partnerships also reinforce the growing intersection between football and technology, with leading clubs increasingly working alongside global technology companies to enhance supporter experiences and explore new ways of connecting with fans on matchday and beyond.

 

Football Has the Audience. Does It Have the Commercial Strategy?

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Soccerscene has launched Survey 4: Commercial Confidence in Football, calling on clubs, sponsors, governing bodies, commercial leaders and football industry professionals to assess whether the game is making the most of its enormous commercial potential.

Football has the audience, participation base and community reach to be one of Australia’s most powerful commercial platforms. But does the industry have the commercial strategy, professionalism and infrastructure required to turn that potential into sustainable growth?

That is the question at the centre of Soccerscene’s latest industry research.

The survey examines how attractive grassroots football is to potential commercial partners, what industry professionals believe is limiting football’s commercial potential, and whether clubs are presenting themselves professionally enough to sponsors.

It also explores what sponsors value most when engaging with football – from community reach and participation scale to brand alignment, values and purpose – as well as whether improved facilities could directly contribute to stronger sponsorship outcomes.

Is football fully capitalising on its commercial opportunity?

Football continues to provide brands with access to highly engaged communities across grassroots, community and elite environments. Yet the commercial landscape remains fragmented, with clubs operating with vastly different levels of resources, capability, governance, media infrastructure and commercial expertise.

Soccerscene’s survey is designed to capture the industry’s perspective on where the opportunities exist – and where football may be leaving commercial value on the table.

The research will look specifically at four key areas:

  • Commercial attractiveness – How attractive is grassroots football as a commercial partnership?
  • Commercial barriers – What is holding football back from reaching its full commercial potential?
  • Club professionalism – Are clubs presenting themselves effectively and professionally to sponsors?
  • Sponsor value – What are sponsors really looking for when they invest in football?

The survey also asks whether better facilities would have a direct impact on sponsorship outcomes, highlighting the potential relationship between infrastructure, commercial presentation and investment.

Have your say

Soccerscene is encouraging football clubs, sponsors, commercial professionals, governing bodies, administrators, media professionals and industry stakeholders to participate.

The findings will contribute to Soccerscene’s ongoing program of industry research, designed to provide a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing football and the organisations operating within it.

Take the Survey: Commercial Confidence in Football

Complete the Commercial Confidence in Football Survey here

The survey will close on 30 August 2026 at midnight, with responses received before the deadline included in the final analysis.

Football has the audience. The question is whether it has the commercial strategy to match.

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