Viaplay confirm withdrawal from UK market

The Nordic broadcaster holds the rights to Scottish national team matches and League Cup games

Published 20th Jul 2023
Last updated 20th Jul 2023

Viaplay has revealed it will be pulling out of the UK market as part of cost-cutting measures

The Nordic broadcaster currently holds the rights to Scotland national team matches as well as the League Cup.

A quarter of its staff are also set to be let go part of the move.

Viaplay says they will focus on its “core, Nordic, Netherlands and Viaplay Select operations” as part of its new strategy.

The news is not expected to have an immediate impact on Scottish football despite their heavy involvement.

Clyde News understands Viaplay Cup matches will continue to be shown as normal with all payments to the SPFL as part of the deal currently up to date.

The Scottish FA are also understood to be relaxed about the situation with the contract to show national team matches brokered through UEFA.

CEO Jorgen Madsen Lindemann said: "We will exit Poland, Baltics, UK, US and Canada to re-focus on the Nordics and Netherlands.

"(We will) exit in the form of disposal, partnering or winding down the businesses.

“The weakness in the advertising markets and currency exchange rates are additional factors that we must live with.

“The international expansion assumptions, including the timelines to profitability, have also been pushed materially into the future since the expansion started. We are moving quickly to address all of these challenges.”

Motherwell against Queen's Park is scheduled to be shown live in the League Cup on Saturday.