CANAL+ CEO Maxime Saada (left) and La Liga president, Javier Tebas
* Covering nearly 50 countries across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti marking one of the most ambitious collaborations ever established
* Between a global broadcaster and a major sports competition to tackle one of the biggest threats facing the sports industry
By Duncan Mlanjira
CANAL+ — the global media and entertainment company with leading positions in Europe and Africa — has signed an agreement with Spanish football league, the La Liga, to combat sports content piracy.
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In a statement, CANAL+ reports that the initiative will cover nearly 50 countries across Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti — marking one of the most ambitious collaborations ever established between a global broadcaster and a major sports competition to tackle one of the biggest threats facing the sports industry.
“Through this unprecedented initiative, CANAL+ and La Liga will combine their expertise, technologies and enforcement capabilities in the fight against piracy,” says the statement.
Already among the most committed and proactive players in this field, the two partners “are taking their efforts to the next level to protect the sports ecosystem and its funding model, while continuing to deliver exceptional football experiences to fans”.
“The collaboration will enable both organisations to share intelligence, coordinate enforcement strategies and accelerate action against illegal distribution networks operating across multiple territories.
“Every illegal football broadcast deprives the entire sports ecosystem, both amateur and professional, of vital resources needed for its development, from funding youth academies and supporting clubs of all sizes to investing in audiovisual production that brings the world’s greatest sporting competitions to life on screen.
“Piracy is no longer only a copyright issue — it has become one of the greatest threats to the sustainability of sport, undermining investment, innovation and the long-term value of audiovisual rights.”
With sport at the heart of their growth strategies, CANAL+ and La Liga says that they “are determined to intensify their fight against piracy and strengthen the protection of the sports content enjoyed by CANAL+ subscribers and La Liga fans alike”.
CANAL+, now present in nearly 70 countries, and La Liga — which is historically dominated by FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid — have built a longstanding relationship through the distribution of Spanish football.
Beginning in France and progressively expanding across Europe, Africa and Haiti, the two institutions’ partnership has grown alongside CANAL+’s international expansion and the global popularity of La Liga competitions.
“This new strategic alliance represents a natural evolution of that relationship, extending cooperation beyond content distribution to jointly protect the long-term value of sports rights and support a sustainable future for the industry.
The statement highlights that in protecting sports content, it also means protecting fans and consumers: “Illegal services expose users to very real risks, including personal data theft, malware, fraud and access to unregulated content.
“By strengthening their anti-piracy efforts together, the two partners aim to provide fans with safe, reliable and high-quality access to one of the world’s most followed football competitions.
“The partnership also reflects a shared commitment to promoting a healthier digital ecosystem, where innovation, investment and creativity are rewarded, and where fans can enjoy premium sports content with confidence.”
Maxime Saada, CANAL+ CEO
Maxime Saada, chief executive officer (CEO) of CANAL+, is quoted in the statement saying: “The unprecedented scale of this partnership reflects the strategic importance CANAL+ attaches to the fight against content piracy.
“I am particularly pleased that our Group shares a common conviction with La Liga, one of the sports leagues most committed to combating piracy.
“Piracy undermines the entire sports ecosystem. By combining our anti-piracy expertise, we are significantly enhancing our ability to take action.
“All players in the sports industry, without exception, and more broadly all stakeholders in the audiovisual and creative industries, have a role to play in tackling the scourge of piracy.
“CANAL+ is fully assuming its responsibility, and this partnership is a call for all industry players to do the same,” said Saada, while La Liga president, Javier Tebas highlighted that “piracy is one of the greatest challenges facing the future of sports.”
Javier Tebas
He added that it is a problem that “no organisation can tackle alone — which is why partnerships like this one are so important.
“By joining forces with CANAL+, we are bringing together technology, intelligence and operational expertise to protect the value of our competitions, defend the investment made by broadcasters and clubs, and ultimately safeguard the future of football.”
CANAL+ operates across the entire audio-visual value chain, including production, broadcast, distribution and aggregation.
In addition to its Pay-TV and streaming operations in Europe, Africa and Asia, the combined group includes MultiChoice Group — Africa’s leading entertainment platform.
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