DAZN have acquired the global broadcast rights to the National League, which operates the semi-professional fifth and sixth tiers of English soccer.
The new seven-year agreement will come into effect from the 2024/25 season and includes both TV broadcasting and digital rights to the National League until 2031, which oversees three divisions comprising 72 clubs.
DAZN will replace TNT Sports as the league’s domestic broadcast partner, absorbing its National League TV streaming service – which will be available as a standalone product and as an add-on to existing DAZN subscribers.
The takeover means all 557 fifth-tier National League matches will be streamed to international audiences, with specific sixth-tier games also being shown, too.
The new deal will hopefully provide better coverage for National League football, creating a platform for long-term growth and engagement for both existing and new fans across the world.
Since actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were announced as Wrexham A.F.C. owners back in 2021, more fans from overseas have become increasingly interested in non-league football - with the Welsh club’s social media following having grown by 2,142% across all platforms in just three years.
The appetite for football outside the Premier League and Championship is arguably the biggest it's ever been, and with DAZN recognising this, who knows where their recent broadcasting deal can take non-league football?