Viaplay, one of world’s fastest growing streaming companies, to stream the handball events for the International Handball Federation (IHF) throughout 2031 covering the sport’s biggest markets in Europe

Viaplay, one of world’s fastest growing streaming companies, to stream the handball events for the International Handball Federation (IHF) throughout 2031 covering the sport’s biggest markets in Europe

• More than 40 IHF events to stream on Viaplay over the next nine years
• Agreement secures all IHF Men’s and Women’s World Championships until 2031
• Viaplay’s European footprint spans many of the world’s best handball nations

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 1-Dec-2022 — /EuropaWire/ — Viaplay Group AB (STO: VPLAY-B), Nordic region’s leading entertainment provider and formerly Nordic Entertainment Group AB, has announced that it signed an agreement with the International Handball Federation (IHF), the administrative and controlling body for handball and beach handball, for the streaming of more than 40 IHF handball events until 2031. The partnership includes all upcoming IHF Women’s and Men’s World Championships as well. The streaming rights cover markets like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, the Netherlands, the Baltic countries and the UK, essentially covering many of the world’s leading handball nations.

The agreement secures the IHF Men’s World Championships in 2023 (hosted by Poland and Sweden), 2025 (hosted by Croatia, Denmark and Norway), 2027, 2029 and 2031; and the IHF Women’s World Championships in 2023 (hosted by Denmark, Norway and Sweden), 2025 (hosted by Germany and the Netherlands), 2027, 2029 and 2031.

A significant number of games, including every game featuring teams from Viaplay’s markets, will be shown with local commentators and world-class studio programming.

In addition, Viaplay now holds rights to the next four IHF Women’s Junior (U20) World Championships and IHF Women’s Youth (U18) World Championships; the next five IHF Men’s Junior (U21) World Championships and IHF Men’s Youth (U19) World Championships; the IHF Men’s & Women’s Beach Handball World Championships in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030; and the annual IHF Beach Handball Global Tour. The partnership was brokered by SPORTFIVE.

Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group Chief Sports Officer: “This milestone deal ensures Viaplay will deliver the world’s best handball to many of the sport’s biggest markets throughout this decade and beyond. Denmark are the reigning men’s world champions and four-time winners Norway are undisputed queens of the women’s game. Numerous upcoming IHF tournaments will also be home events for millions of our viewers, which will increase local interest even further. These are key rights that are now secured for the long term on Viaplay.”

Dr. Hassan Moustafa, President, IHF: “We are delighted to announce that the IHF have joined forces and partnered up with Viaplay Group. Thanks to our partnership with the official IHF TV and marketing rights partner SPORTFIVE, we were able to realise this agreement, which allows us to spread the enthusiasm for handball events to more countries and people and, equally importantly, with guaranteed quality and for the long term.”

Karsten Mahlmann, Vice President Media, SPORTFIVE: “Viaplay is both one of the fastest growing streaming companies in the world, and a company that is truly dedicated to handball. With this long-term partnership, the IHF Senior, Junior, Youth and Beach Handball World Championships get a reliable partner that will broadcast the world’s best handball competitions in some of the most important handball territories, as well in emerging European handball markets, and provide a professional and high-profile platform for the sport. We are proud to have brokered this outstanding partnership.”

Viaplay Group had previously acquired the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish rights to the IHF Men’s and Women’s World Championships in 2023 and 2025 through a separate agreement.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Viaplay Group AB (publ) is the international entertainment provider. Our Viaplay streaming service is available direct-to-consumer in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland, the Netherlands and the UK, and we are expanding rapidly by launching in the US and Canada in 2023. Every day, millions of customers enjoy our unique entertainment offering, including acclaimed Viaplay Originals and an unrivalled line-up of premium live sports. In addition, our innovative Viaplay Select branded content concept makes Viaplay’s compelling storytelling available to partners around the world. From streaming to TV channels, radio stations and production companies, our purpose is to tell stories, touch lives and expand worlds. Viaplay Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (`VPLAY B’).

Contact us:
press@viaplaygroup.com (or Nicholas Smith, Senior Communications Manager: +46 73 699 1700)
investors@viaplaygroup.com (or Matthew Hooper, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer: +44 7768 440 414)

SOURCE: Viaplay Group