FC Barcelona expands with Mexican television channel

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FC Barcelona
Image credit: Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com

FC Barcelona has broadened its reach with television channel Afizzionados, who became the LaLiga side’s official regional partner until 2026.

Afizzionados is a pay-tv channel that focuses entirely on sports, including live game broadcasts, debates, interviews, news, and analysis. Super Estadio and Vamos América are two of its original productions, with exclusive content covering the major European teams.

FC Barcelona, via this new agreement with Afizzionados, has been able to expand its worldwide network of partners. Afizzionados is broadcast on izzi 503/801 and Sky 545/1545 signals in Mexico.

Vice President of FC Barcelona Marketing Area, Juli Guiu, said via press release:

“Thanks to the agreement with afizzionats we can get a little closer to our Mexican supporters with audio-visual experiences and content associated to the football world. This will enhance the sense of belonging among Mexican fans, a country for which Barça has a special love.”

The partnership acts as another major step in growing FC Barcelona’s presence in Mexico, a country they have had close connections with since 1937. During the height of the Spanish Civil War, the club made one of its most important international tours of all time, which served as a driving force for the club in difficult times. As part of the deal, millions of Afizzionados subscribers will have access to special content and experiences modified for Barca supporters, which include draws for tickets for games at Spotify Camp Nou and men’s and women’s football shirts.

General Sales Manager for Izzi and Sky, Michel Bauer, added via press release:

“This new deal with such a high calibre sports club as FC Barcelona is a unique opportunity for us to continue advancing our mission to become the first-choice sports channel among consumers. We are also delighted to offer a chance for all Barça fans in Mexico to get a bit closer to and be more united to the Catalan club.”

The partnership will extend the prolific relationship shared between FC Barcelona and Mexico. Along with the deal with Afizzionados, FC Barcelona’s Exhibition appearing in Guadalajara and Monterrey early last year is a key step in fostering stronger ties with Mexico.

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FIFA has partnered with Konami to host the FIFAe World Cup

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Image credit: FIFA website

FIFA has entered into a partnership with Konami to use its eFootball game for the FIFAe World Cup.

This collaboration will feature two tournaments, one for console and one for mobile, with participants from 18 nations competing for the title of FIFAe world champion.

This move is part of FIFA’s strategy to maintain relevance in gaming and esports, particularly in engaging younger fans. FIFA has also expanded its esports portfolio with deals involving Rocket League and Football Manager.

The partnership fills the void left by EA Sports following their high-profile split with FIFA in 2022. Konami’s eFootball, an evolution of the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, is currently the only comparable game to EA Sports FC on the market.

FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai, has championed the new deal highlighting their excitement at the prospect.

“We are incredibly excited to join forces with Konami, this collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to promote football globally and to provide a platform for players to showcase their skills.”

Konami the Japanese gaming company, this partnership provides legitimacy and increased awareness for eFootball, which has struggled to compete with EA Sports in recent years.

The collaboration is seen as a necessary step for FIFA, given the lack of alternatives and the time it would take to develop a new soccer simulation game. It allows FIFA to continue its presence in soccer-based esports while exploring other gaming opportunities.

Esports has grown massively in viewership and investment over the last decades, it has become a major part of the franchising side of football.

Even in Australia the rise in Esports popularity has coincided with the rise in football popularity, one can not argue against their connection towards football popularity.

FIFA have shown that Esports has become an ever-present strategy in their development of the game. For investors and shareholders in football, Esports impact is something that should not be disregarded.

WSL triples viewership after move to YouTube

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Image credit: Jason Ilagan / Shutterstock.com

Viewership for Women’s Super League (WSL) matches streamed live on YouTube has more than trebled during the 2024/25 season.

This success is no coincidence. Beyond the clear rise in quality and star power across teams for the 2024/25 season, it’s also the first time in league history that non-televised games are streamed for free on YouTube.

Last season, the main issue with viewership was accessibility, where matches not picked up by domestic broadcasters were only available on the FA Player app or website, requiring users to create an account on a platform that was already unpopular.

In the 2023/24 season, the highest viewership for an online-only WSL game was Arsenal’s home fixture against Bristol City, which attracted 78,050 viewers.

However, this season has already shattered records. Over 250,000 fans tuned in on YouTube to watch Leicester face Arsenal in September, setting a new high for a WSL game not televised.

In total, the first three weeks of this season have seen a staggering 1,576,848 live views for WSL matches streamed on YouTube.

Women’s Championship matches have also benefited from the platform, with the season opener between newly promoted Newcastle and London City Lionesses setting a new record for the league, drawing 46,050 live viewers.

This spike in viewership comes at a crucial time for both the WSL and the Championship, as they are holding out for a new broadcasting rights deal set to begin after 2025. Both leagues smartly delayed signing earlier this year to avoid locking into a premature agreement.

The gamble absolutely paid off and the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), now in charge of the top two leagues, will be using these numbers as leverage in discussions over the next major TV rights deal which should include the BBC and Sky Sports amongst other suitors.

Streaming must remain free for A-League Women’s growth 

The A-League Women’s impressively saw a 114% increase in viewership on 10 Play, where every game is streamed for free, and 125% on Paramount+ for the 2023/24 season.

While a switch to YouTube seems unlikely given Channel 10’s monopoly over A-League football, it’s crucial to keep every game available for free on 10 Play if they want viewership to continue rising.

As the WSL and previously the NWSL have demonstrated, offering free streamed games draws in viewers of all ages and ultimately helps turn them into paying fans. The league’s primary focus should be on building an audience as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

The impressive figures from this season suggest that the demand for women’s football is only increasing.

The WSL has made a brilliant move that is sure to enhance the upcoming record-breaking broadcast rights deal, helping the league continue to improve both on and off the field.

The next step is to take it mainstream, and the Ninja A-League should look to follow the blueprint set by the WSL, which has demonstrated how to rapidly gain widespread popularity.

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