Nordic media giant Viaplay Group has secured a critical extension for the broadcast rights of the English soccer second-tier EFL Championship, ensuring its platform remains the home of the league in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden until 2028.
While the deal bolsters Viaplay’s premium sports portfolio, it comes as the group reports a widened operating loss of SEK 637 million ($70.3 million) in Q4 2025, largely attributed to the full acquisition of TV distributor Allente Group.
Rights Expansion: All 552 Matches Live
The renewed agreement significantly increases the volume of content available to Nordic fans:
- Full Coverage: Viaplay will now stream all 552 matches per season until 2027-28, including the high-stakes promotion play-offs at Wembley.
- Nordic Star Power: The Championship remains a massive draw in the region, featuring over 30 Nordic players, including Denmark’s Victor Torp (Coventry City) and Sweden’s Jens Cajuste.
- Soccer Stronghold: This extension complements Viaplay’s existing rights for the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and the German Bundesliga.
Financial Snapshot: The Allente Impact
Viaplay’s financial results for Q4 2025 reflect a period of heavy restructuring and consolidation:
- Widening Losses: The SEK 637 million loss is a sharp increase from the SEK 92 million loss in Q4 2024, impacted by costs related to buying out Telenor’s 50% stake in Allente.
- Revenue Resilience: Despite the bottom-line figures, net sales for Q4 rose to SEK 4.98 billion, and subscription sales grew by 2%.
- Future Synergy: The group expects the Allente integration to generate annual synergies of SEK 300–400 million starting in 2027.
“We are in a more competitive position than a year ago… building a more focused, more relevant, and more resilient group.” — Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, Viaplay CEO.