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Thursday, July 3, 2025

German Soccer Delays Selling $3.6B Stake in Bundesliga Media Rights

  • The looming deal is for a minority stake in the league’s media rights worth $3.6 billion.
  • A deal was expected to be reached in October.
Camera with Bundesliga logo films soccer game
DFL

German soccer’s governing body isn’t quite ready to sell a piece of the media rights for the country’s top professional league.

Deutsche Fussball Liga has reportedly postponed the sale of a 20% stake in the Bundesliga’s media rights until 2023 after clubs in Germany’s first- and second-tier leagues failed to reach a deal.

  • The minority stake is worth $3.6 billion.
  • A deal was expected to be reached in October.
  • The Bundesliga’s media rights business is valued between $16 billion and $19 billion.

In August, the DFL hired Deutsche Bank AG to facilitate the sale as part of a plan to recoup pandemic losses that have plagued clubs across the world. The DFL has also considered loans and other strategic investment ideas to reinvigorate pro soccer in Germany.

Bundesliga

Germany’s Soccer Body Seeks to Recoup Losses with Media Arm Sale

Germany’s governing soccer body is looking for financing opportunities.
August 22, 2022

Luxembourg-based CVC Capital Partners and roughly 10 other private equity firms have expressed interest in implementing a growth strategy in the DFL to improve its finances.

In March, CVC acquired a 13% stake worth $1.6 billion in the media rights of Ligue 1 — France’s premier pro soccer league.

Heavy Losses 

The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 have lost more than $1.1 billion in revenue since 2020. 

During the 2020-21 season, sales for the 36 clubs dropped 10.5% to nearly $4.5 billion behind reduced ticket income and other factors.

Last season, clubs were required to pay roughly $1.4 billion in “taxes and duties overall.”

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