Al Jazeera secures remaining French football rights

Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera has secured a further package of broadcast rights for France’s Ligue 1 football league between 2012 and 2016.

The company fought off competition from French pay TV operator Canal Plus to win the package of six weekly matches that they will offer on a pay-per-view basis. It was also awarded the rights to a weekly magazine programme. In addition to the two matches per week package it had already acquired, the broadcaster will air a total of eight matches from France’s top football league each week.

The latest deal with the Ligue de Football Professional makes Al Jazeera a prominent player in the French football rights market. It also holds international rights to Ligue 1 and the majority of French broadcast rights to the UEFA Champions League until 2015.