Viaplay to launch in the UK on 1 November
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Editor
| 19 October 2022
Coming to what it calls a “dynamic and exciting” market with what it regards as a “compelling combination” of live sports, world-class drama and superior value for money, Viaplay Group has revealed 1 November as the UK kick-off date for is Viaplay streaming service.
VIaplay 30JUne2022
Timing the announcement just as its acquisition of Premier Sports in July 2021 received Irish media merger control clearance, the UK launch will take Viaplay's direct-to-consumer footprint to 11 countries, with the US and Canada to follow in early 2023.

Viaplay will offer UK viewers what is claimed to be a unique combination of live sports, Viaplay Originals and curated third-party content. Two packages will be available: Films & Series package focused on Nordic storytelling with award-winning Viaplay Originals and curated third-party content; and the Total package that also includes the combined UK sports line-up of Viaplay and UK sports streamer and TV channel operator Premier Sports. The latter’s Sports' TV channels will receive Viaplay branding from 1 November.

UK sports fans will be able to follow a broad range of live events on Viaplay, including all European Qualifiers for the UEFA EURO and FIFA World Cup played by the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland men's national football teams, along with the UEFA Nations League and friendlies, until 2028. Viaplay holds rights to over 1,000 UEFA international matches from across Europe, including teams such as Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

Viaplay will also show LaLiga, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and Coppa Italia football; BKT United Rugby Championship, Rugby Football League and TOP 14 rugby; NHL, IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Champions Hockey League and Elite Ice Hockey League; CEV volleyball; KSW mixed martial arts; EHF handball; ISU figure skating and speed skating; World Athletics Continental Tour Gold and Indoor Tour; and much more.

Pay-TV channels Premier Sports 1 and Premier Sports 2 will be rebranded as Viaplay Sports 1 and Viaplay Sports 2, with the free-to-air TV channel FreeSports becoming Viaplay Xtra. All channels will remain available through existing distribution partners, and will continue to broadcast live sports to pubs, clubs and other commercial premises throughout the UK.

The content offering on all Premier Sports channels will be expanded to include Viaplay's series and film line-up.

Assessing the prospects for the service, Viaplay Group president and CEO Anders Jensen said the company had high ambitions and a long-term perspective with owing Premier Sports significantly accelerating its market entry. “Viaplay has so much to offer, and local sports fans as well as devotees of premium Nordic and international storytelling can now try our unique service for themselves, starting 1 November," he remarked.

Viaplay is currently available as a direct-to-consumer service in all Nordic and Baltic countries, Poland and the Netherlands. The service is also available through Comcast in the US, with a direct-to-consumer launch in both the US and Canada to follow in early 2023. The Viaplay Select branded content concept launched in Japan in April through WOWOW and will come to DMD's CINDIE streaming service in nine Latin American countries in November.