Man United set for massive cash injection amid crucial transfer window as announcement made

Man United set for massive cash injection amid crucial transfer window as announcement made

The latest Manchester United news as new broadcaster secures rights to show Premier League games across multiple countries

beIN Media Group has secured exclusive rights to broadcast every Premier League game (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images )

Manchester United could reportedly be set to receive a significant financial boost following confirmation that beIN Media Group has secured exclusive rights to broadcast every Premier League match across 24 countries.

The Qatar-based company will broadcast every Premier League match across 24 countries in the Middle East and North Africa until the end of the 2027/28 season. As a result, fans will be able to watch all 380 games each season live in both Arabic and English.

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In addition to live coverage, fans will have access to comprehensive magazine-style programming, including pre- and post-match shows, daily highlights, and weekly wrap-up programmes.

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Paul Molnar, Chief Media Officer of the Premier League, said: "We are delighted to announce the extension of our longstanding partnership with beIN MEDIA GROUP for a further three seasons in MENA. This renewal reflects our shared commitment to delivering world-class football and providing the best possible, localised viewing experience. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration on a variety of content and promotional initiatives, bringing the Premier League even closer to our passionate fans in this important region."

Discussing how much United will benefit from the deal, our Chief Business of Football Writer Dave Powell told MEN Sport: "For the Premier League and its shareholders, which are the 20 clubs which hold membership, keeping the positive momentum around broadcast rights is vitally important. Throughout the 2010s the acceleration in the value of broadcast rights domestically and internationally allowed for the Premier League to hand far more money over to its clubs, and that afforded the clubs the opportunity to go out and spend more on transfer fees and wages than other major leagues such as Spain’s La Liga, the German Bundesliga, and Italy’s Serie A.

"The growth has slowed in recent seasons, though, and while the £6.7bn domestic deal, up from £5bn, may have been trumpeted as a major success, it was for four years and not three, and gave away 70 more live games per season. On a per-game basis that is actually a diminution in value. Piracy has been a worry for clubs, with it impacting subscriptions, which in turn impacts the amount of value that broadcasters put on becoming the rights holder. That, allied with the fact the deal struck during the pandemic retained the status quo, a win at the time, means that the growth has not been on the trajectory it was. We are now seeing a plateau in terms of domestic rights.

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"But international rights have proven to be different. The Premier League remains bullish on the prospects of the next few international cycles growing in value, and the rise in the value of the Middle East deal with beIN Sports backs that up. It is up 10% over the next three-year cycle at £550m, and with positive hopes for China’s next deal, as well as the United States, the £12.25bn figure is likely going to increase further.

"That is important for clubs. At the end of each and every season, ahead of the start of a new campaign, clubs get their share of the lucrative money pot. An equal share of £31.2m from the domestic rights, and £55.7m from the international rights, is added to by facilities fees, which is how many times teams feature on live UK television broadcasts, as well as merit payments that are handed out on a sliding scale based on competitive success. There is also a flat commercial fee that clubs are the beneficiary of.

"An increase in the international rights points to a positive trend, and that will give club owners greater confidence over future revenue strength. For some time now, club owners have been looking to reduce their reliance on broadcast revenues and raise other revenue pillars such as commercial and matchday. There will be extra millions for Premier League teams as a result of the beIN deal, and while it won’t be sums that change the summer plans, it does point to the continued strength of the league, and that will mean greater investor confidence, which means more money will likely flow into the league, with the lion’s share still to come from the United States.

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"The Premier League remains a premium product for broadcasters and is still the biggest driver of subscribers to their platforms. The Premier League’s clubs rely on a strong broadcast deal at home and abroad to a significant degree. A rise in the Middle East deal will deliver greater confidence, and spending on new talent and payroll will continue to rise."

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