Dutch Eredivisie has announced that Japanese football fans will be able to watch the league live, following a deal between IMG and Fujitv.
Fans of Netherland’s top-flight football league will be able to watch games on Fujitv’s pay satellite channels NEXT and FOD, starting with Round 22 from 16 February, following a broadcast deal facilitated by IMG until the end of the 2024/25 season.
This collaboration is the most recent step taken by IMG to grow the league’s global reach since renewing its Dutch Eredivisie global media rights in July 2022, which it has owned for the past 20-years.
IMG’s deal will allow Fujiv to broadcast up to 156 fixtures over the next two seasons, returning the league to its portfolio as it previously held the rights between 2016/17 and 2019/20.
The global sports media company has also taken significant steps to grow Rugby League, as it announced a partnership with Voono to create a free-to-play fantasy Super League game in January.
Japan has been an important market over recent years due to the rich history between the two countries in the footballing world, with several Japanese players currently playing in the competition.
The current season features six players with Japanese roots, such as Ayase Ueda of Feyenoord, Yukinari Sugawara of AZ Alkmaar, Koki Saito and Shunsuke Mito of Sparta Rotterdam as well as Koki Ogawa and Kodai San of NEC Nijmegen.
Dutch club Feyenoord celebrated the deal by inviting the Japanese ambassador to the Rotterdam derby yesterday, the club described the agreement as ‘a great milestone for both countries.’
