FIFA+, the streaming platform operated by the world soccer’s governing body, has secured international non-exclusive distribution rights for Italy’s third-tier Serie C.
The agreement also gives the service rights to show the Coppa Italia Serie C cup competition and Supercoppa Serie C.
FIFA+ will provide coverage to fans worldwide for free under a deal agreed with Italian rights agency Comintech, which owns the international media rights for Lega Pro competitions.
Under the agreement, an initial 30 games per matchday will be available for international audiences on the FIFA+ platform, increasing to include all games as the league heads towards its conclusion.
The parties said Lega Pro's recent domestic rights partnership with Sky Italia “paved the way for this international expansion.”
The Serie C matches will debut on FIFA+ tomorrow (Saturday, November 11) and the live broadcast will be accessible worldwide, excluding Italy.
Romy Gai, FIFA's chief business officer, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Serie C to the FIFA+ platform and continuing to bring a global audience to football from around the world. Serie C harbors some of the best storylines in Italian football.”
Matteo Marani, Lega Pro chairman, added: “This agreement highlights the international fame of our Lega Pro. We’re happy for supporters and for this new possibility which will broaden the visibility of the brand of the Serie C clubs and their partners."
Organized by Lega Pro, Serie C is structured into three groups, each comprising 20 teams, representing northern, central, and southern Italy respectively.
The winners of each group are promoted to Serie B, while second to 10th-placed teams, along with the winners of Coppa Italia Serie C, progress to the playoffs which decide the fourth promoted team.
The Supercoppa is a three-way tournament between the winners of the three groups, who meet each other once.
FIFA+ recently picked up rights to show the African Football League (AFL), the new eight-team pan-African club competition, in multiple markets.
The platform was launched by the governing body in April 2022 as a direct-to-consumer offering that provides access to a range of content, including live matches, archive fixtures, original feature programming, and a live match center.
Last year, FIFA covered over 40,000 live matches on the platform, with games from 90 member associations across men’s, women’s, and youth soccer also shown.
Earlier this year, FIFA+ provided coverage of the Club World Cup in more than 50 countries.
Eleven Sports, the international subscription broadcaster, supports FIFA's delivery of live matches via FIFA+.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, FIFA+ generated 190 million views on match recaps, while a live stream in Brazil attracted over 40 million unique visitors.
