The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has entered into a significant four-year rights agreement with Chinese mobile streaming giant, Migu. This deal, which spans from the 2025-26 to the 2028-29 cycle, positions Migu as the media partner in China for an array of top-tier AFC national team and club competitions.
Under the new partnership, Migu has secured rights to several high-profile tournaments. These include the 2027 Asian Cup which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia and the 2026 Women's Asian Cup set to take place in Australia. In addition, club competitions such as the Champions League Elite, Champions League Two, and Women's Champions League also fall within Migu's broadcasting domain.
Additionally, despite China being out of contention for next year’s tournament already, remaining qualifiers in the AFC zone for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are also included in this agreement.
Unparalleled access to Premier Asian football content
Migu will broadcast these events via its flagship platform - Migu Video site. According to AFC statements, this move will provide fans in China with "unparalleled access to premier Asian football content."
This isn't their first collaboration; Migu covered previous editions of men's Asian Cup held across January and February last year along with other AFC tournaments during the 2021-24 cycle.
Datuk Seri Windsor John, general secretary at the AFC, said:
"China is home not only to some of Asia's finest teams and clubs, but also has an enthusiastic fanbase, so we are delighted to welcome Migu as our latest partner to our media rights family.
“We look forward to working together with Migu to bring the AFC’s best-in-class competitions closer to our passionate supporters in China and further strengthening the stature of Asian football through their innovative and engaging platforms."
Expanding sports coverage
In terms of recent activity, both Migu and AFC have been quite active in securing new partnerships. In late October, Migu reached a new broadcast agreement with FIBA, the global governing body for basketball.
This deal positions Migu as the exclusive digital rightsholder for FIBA competitions in China over the next four years. Additionally, earlier this year, Migu covered the FIFA Club World Cup. On the other hand, AFC recently announced a broadcast rights deal with BG Sports in Thailand back in early August.
This wide-ranging rights deal between AFC and Migu is a significant development for sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike. It not only expands the reach of AFC's top-tier competitions but also strengthens Migu's position as a leading platform for premier sports content in China. As both parties continue to expand their activities, fans can look forward to more exciting developments in the future.
