BeIN SPORTS, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has announced that it will be broadcasting all remaining matches of this season’s ongoing UEFA Women’s Champions League 2024™ (UWCL) on its free-to-air beIN SPORTS channel, as well as its official YouTube channel across MENA, as part of its beINSPIRED initiative.beINSPIRED is a global beIN initiative launched in 2019 that gives a bigger platform to under-represented sports and talent, with a particular focus on women in sport, and is the driving force behind the broadcaster’s vast and well-rounded bouquet of women’s sports rights across its 24 MENA markets and beyond.The announcement marks a fourth successive year that beIN is providing free-to-air coverage of the UWCL. With nearly two million viewers tuning in to watch Barcelona win last year’s UWCL final, the increase in interest and popularity of the women’s game across the region is clear. The quarterfinals are scheduled to get underway on 19 March when Ajax host Chelsea and Benfica welcome Lyon, before reigning champions Barcelona travel to Brann and PSG go to Hacken 24 hours later.beIN holds one of the largest portfolios of women’s sports rights in global broadcasting, with Formula 1 ACADEMY, the female-only single-seater racing championship founded by Formula 1, being the latest top tier women’s sports acquisition. beIN also holds the rights to UEFA Women’s EURO and FIFA Women’s World Cup.Additionally, over the coming months, beIN will also champion women’s sports and its top talents competing at this summer’s long-awaited Paris 2024 Olympic Games, AFC Women’s Under-20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2024™, FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Colombia 2024™, FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic™, three remaining Grand Slam tennis tournaments as well as the Billie Jean King Cup, on top of year-round live coverage of the Premier Padel Tour.

beIN SPORTS, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), revealed a record-breaking cumulative viewership of 707.3 million for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, with the final between Jordan and Qatar alone captivating 69 million fans across the region—making it the most-watched match of the tournament.The unprecedented competition unfolded over four weeks across nine state-of-the-art stadiums, with Lusail hosting the electrifying final that saw Qatar clinch their second consecutive title in a 3-1 victory over Jordan. This year’s fervour was not just confined to the final with the semi-finals, featuring equally nail-biting encounters between Jordan and South Korea, and Iran and Qatar, amassing over one hundred million cumulative views between them. The match between Saudi Arabia and South Korea also stood out, drawing a remarkable viewership of over 39 million and highlighting the competitive spirit and passionate fanbase that characterised the entire tournament.The overall viewership across beIN’s coverage area across MENA for all matches is a 120% increase compared with beIN’s broadcast of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019™. Average viewership per match throughout the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ also saw a significant rise reaching 15.8 million, compared to that of 7 million for 2019’s coverage.Mohammed Al-Bader, Managing Director of beIN’s MENA Channels, reflected on the success, remarking: “We are immensely proud to have brought the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ to millions of viewers across MENA. This event has risen above the game of football—becoming a true celebration of cultural diversity, athletic excellence, and the unbreakable spirit of competition. We look forward to continuing to offer our viewers the best of world sports, capturing and sharing every thrilling moment as it happens with our loyal fans.”beIN SPORTS broadcast all the tournament’s 51 matches across 21 countries in MENA in both Arabic and English, with over 16-hours live daily coverage across four channels, including three dedicated beIN ASIAN CUP channels. Led by more than 30 leading regional and international commentators, analysts, and presenters, as well as 17 on-the-ground reporters, coverage included pre- and post-match studio analysis, team training sessions and base camps, match press conferences, breaking news, and fan reactions.

beIN SPORTS (‘beIN’), the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), will spotlight the world’s best female tennis players once again when it broadcasts the WTA 1000 Qatar TotalEnergies Open next week live from Doha’s Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.Between 11-17 February, beIN will broadcast approximately seven-and-a-half hours of live coverage daily with Arabic commentary and studio analysis on beIN SPORTS 7, as well as live tournament coverage with English commentary on beIN SPORTS 2 ENGLISH. Fans will also be able to enjoy daily Arabic programming including 26-minute highlights episodes, daily mini-matches and a trio of five-minute fillers.beIN’s coverage starts this Sunday, 11 February, with an hour-long preview show from 14:30 MECCA, followed by on-court coverage from 15:30 until 22:00 MECCA. The following four days will see live coverage run in Arabic and English from 15:00 MECCA until 22:00 MECCA, with coverage of Friday’s singles semi-finals and doubles final starting slightly later at 16:30 MECCA and coverage of Saturday’s singles final starting from 17:30 MECCA.Presented by Areej Sleem, the trailblazing beIN journalist and first female Arab presenter to cover all four Grand Slam tournaments, the broadcaster’s coverage will also feature esteemed guest commentators including former tennis professionals such as Tunisia’s second-highest ranked female of all time Selima Sfar, Kuwait’s Adel Al Shatti, and Saudi Arabia’s Fahad Al Saad and Morocco’s Anass Lamrani.beIN’s comprehensive coverage of the elite women’s tournament, which the broadcaster has been airing across MENA for 20 years, provides a further example of beIN’s commitment to its beINSPIRED initiative, which celebrates the value that all sports, and women’s sport in particular, play in the international sports eco-system.This year’s WTA 1000 Qatar TotalEnergies Open will feature 11 Grand Slam winners, including two-time defending champion and World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, as well as last month’s Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka, who won in Doha in 2020. Arab No. 1 Ons Jabeur, a two-time quarterfinalist in Doha, will also be in action as the Tunisian returns to a tournament, where she has enjoyed de facto home-court support in previous years.

beIN SPORTS, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has revealed its comprehensive coverage plans for this month’s AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, which kicks off in Doha this Friday and runs until 10 February. beIN will have three brand new AFC Asian Cup channels that will be dedicated to Asia’s most iconic international tournament: beIN ASIAN CUP 1 and beIN ASIAN CUP 2 in Arabic, and beIN ASIAN CUP 3 in English, will broadcast every game live and exclusive with Arabic and English commentary respectively, and the biggest names in Asian Football joining the studio. Additionally, beIN SPORTS NEWS will offer 16-plus hours of live continuous daily coverage.First held in 1956, the Asian Cup is the continent’s most prestigious football event and will feature 24 national teams. The month-long tournament is being held in Qatar – home of the reigning champions – for a record third time and represents the country’s first continental football competition since it hosted the greatest ever FIFA World Cup in late 2022.With its headquarters in Doha, beIN enjoys unique access and an unrivalled presence across Qatar. beIN’s top-class coverage will feature every nation with particular focus on the 10 Arab nations participating: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, and hosts Qatar.Daily Arabic language coverage on beIN ASIAN CUP 1 is live and continuous for 14 hours a day. Kicking off at 11:00 MECCA the daily morning show ‘Sport Morning’ will cover all the latest stories and activities taking place in the host nation, Qatar, followed by the ‘Countdown’ show, which is hosted from inside the stadium for the first match of each day.Group stage matches kick off at 14:30, 17:30, and 20:30 MECCA, with every match broadcast live and exclusive on beIN’s dedicated AFC Asian Cup channels with bigger and better studio coverage than ever before.Each evening, the last match studio will be immediately followed by ‘Sport Evening’, the nightly evening show at 23:30 MECCA. AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ is taking place at the same time as the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Côte d'Ivoire 2023™ and ‘Sport Evening’ is the evening studio that brings all the latest stories from host nations Qatar and the Ivory Coast.In addition to live coverage of the tournament, beIN will broadcast over 41-plus hours of archive programming including previous finals, mini-matches and best goal compilations.Led by more than 30 leading regional and international commentators, analysts, and presenters, as well as 17 on-the-ground reporters, coverage will include team training sessions and base camps, pre- and post-match press conferences, breaking news, and fan reaction. beIN, recipient of multiple global awards for its comprehensive coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, has raised the bar when it comes to broadcasting major sporting events and the Asian Cup is set to enjoy the same beIN experience.

beIN SPORTS is bringing some of the world’s best female footballers to MENA screens this month as the region’s leading sports broadcaster once again demonstrates its commitment to women’s sports by broadcasting the group stages of Europe’s UEFA Women’s Champions League (UEFA WCL) and Africa’s CAF Women’s Champions League (CAF WCL).The UEFA WCL returns today (14 November), with 16 teams battling it out to be crowned Europe’s best. Replicating the format of the men’s tournament, the women’s showpiece is set to culminate on 26 May 2024 in Bilbao. Barcelona, the reigning champions and home to last week’s Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, get their quest for a third title underway at home to Benfica on Wednesday at 23:00 MECCA, while eight-time champions Lyon simultaneously travel to Slavia Praha. beIN will broadcast every match live with Arabic commentary on beIN SPORTS 1 and beIN SPORTS 2, and with English commentary on beIN SPORTS 1 ENGLISH and beIN SPORTS 2 ENGLISH.Other exciting ties from the first round of Europe’s premier women’s tournament include Bayern Munich hosting Roma on Wednesday night, as well as – 24 hours later – Paris travelling to Ajax and Real Madrid welcoming Chelsea. All matches will be broadcast live and exclusive on beIN. Further evidence of the broadcaster’s dedication to elevating the profile of women’s sports globally through its beINSPIRED initiative, the network is airing every match of the ongoing CAF WCL in Arabic on its free-to-air beIN SPORTS channel and beIN SPORTS 6, as well as select matches with English commentary on beIN SPORTS 2 ENGLISH. The African tournament kicked off on 5 November and features eight teams, including last year’s champions ASFAR Club of Morocco and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, winners of the inaugural tournament in 2021.Organised as a two-week standalone event in Cote d’Ivoire, the first round of matches saw Ampem Darkoa of Ghana – making their tournament debut – deliver a huge shock by defeating ASFAR 2-1. With ASFAR home to as many as seven of the Morocco national team squad that shone so brightly on beIN at the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, the 10-time domestic champions have since got their quest for historic consecutive titles back on track with defeats of Huracanes of Equatorial Guinea and AS Mande of Mali.With ASFAR’s place in Wednesday’s semi-final now secure, the Moroccans can prepare for what promises to be a must-watch match-up with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, while the other semi-final pits Ampem Darkoa against Sporting Casablanca to determine who will contest the final on 18 November at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium. Don’t miss out on any of the action by subscribing to beIN here: www.bein.com/en/subscribe/.

beIN SPORTS, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), received two prestigious trophies at the annual MENA Digital Awards in Dubai on 20 October. The company clinched top honours in two categories: ‘Best Use of Cross Platform Digital Content’ and ‘Best Use of Social Media’, solidifying its position as a digital trailblazer in the MENA region.The MENA Digital Awards is a premier event that celebrates the most innovative and effective campaigns across the region. beIN’s outstanding achievements in two highly competitive categories underscore its dedication to creativity, innovation, and engagement in the ever-evolving digital landscape.In the category of Best Use of Cross Digital Platform, beIN showcased its prowess in crafting immersive and impactful digital content that resonated with a diverse audience across various platforms during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM. The campaign not only demonstrated beIN’s creative vision, but also highlighted its ability to connect with viewers across different platforms.In the Best Use of Social Media category, beIN similarly proved its mastery in leveraging its social channels to engage, inform, and inspire audiences during the month-long football tournament – the first held in the Arab World. The winning campaign demonstrated an unparalleled understanding of social media dynamics, resulting in heightened brand visibility and engagement on beIN SPORTS’ social channels across various platforms.Faisal Al-Raisi, beIN’s Director of Digital for the MENA region, said: “We are thrilled to receive these prestigious awards, which reflect the hard work, dedication, and innovation of our entire team. This achievement is a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional content and engaging with our audience effectively through our digital channels. As the company continues to innovate and push the boundaries of digital engagement, we look forward to raising the bar even higher in the coming years.”beIN’s success at the MENA Digital Awards not only demonstrates the broadcaster’s commitment to excellence, but also reinforces its position as an industry leader.  

BeIN SPORTS, one of the world’s leading sports broadcasters, has secured the media rights to the Professional Squash Association (PSA) QTerminals Qatar Classic set to take place at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha from 9-16 September. For the first time since 2015, the annual squash championship will also feature a women’s draw.beIN SPORTS will broadcast 14 matches live across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) , the USA and Canada, as well as event highlights, news and views from around the week-long tournament. This year’s men’s draw will be headed up by World No.1 Ali Farag, a four-time World Champion and two-time winner in Doha. The Egyptian triumphed in the Qatari capital in 2018 and 2020 but was surprisingly eliminated last year in the third round. He will face compatriots Mohamed Abouelghar, Fares Dessouky, and 2019 World Champion Tarek Momen in his first three matches.In the women’s tournament, World No.1 Nouran Gohar will make her debut at the QTerminals Qatar Classic, headlining the 48-player female draw of what is the second PSA World Tour Platinum event of the 2023-24 season. Gohar, a 25-year-old Egyptian, has received a bye to the second round, where she will face either Wales’ Emily Whitlock or Latvia’s Ineta Mackevica. “The QTerminals Qatar Classic is one of the oldest annual international events on the Qatari sports calendar having been first held in 2001,” said Mohammad Al-Subaie, CEO of beIN – MENA. “We are delighted to be able to showcase this fantastic, fast-paced event once again on beIN SPORTS, especially with the return of the women’s draw following an eight-year absence. Since 2019, our beINSPIRED campaign has been giving a global platform to events and talent that haven’t, historically, been given the exposure they deserve, so to be able to promote squash – and women’s squash – to our audiences is one more important addition to our portfolio.”  In MENA, coverage will be available on beIN SPORTS’ free to air channel starting at midday MECCA on 13 September, with the women’s quarterfinals broadcast live with Arabic and English commentary. The following day’s coverage starts with a 30-minute pre-studio before two of the men’s quarterfinals get underway at 14.30 MECCA. Coverage of the first women’s semifinal starts at 15.45 MECCA followed by studio analysis. The afternoon’s coverage of the two remaining men’s quarterfinals and the other women’s semi-final concludes with a post-studio segment at approximately 19:45 MECCA.On 15 September, coverage of the men’s semifinals will start with a pre-studio at 15.30 MECCA, followed by studio coverage until the end of the women’s final, with a post-studio segment expected to continue until approximately 19.30 MECCA. Finally, on 16 September, the men’s final will have a pre-studio and post-studio, with coverage starting at 17.30 MECCA.

beIN SPORTS, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)’s leading broadcaster, will champion the growing equality and diversity in global football by airing live and exclusive all 64 matches of this summer’s much-anticipated FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – the first of the tournament’s nine editions to feature 32 teams.Through its beINSPIRED initiative, beIN is committed to elevating the profile of under-represented sports globally and recognizes the value that all sports, and particularly women’s sports, play in advancing equality across the international sports ecosystem.beIN will broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies and matches, semi-finals and final across the MENA region on its free-to-air channel, beIN SPORTS.The remaining matches will air over a non-stop one-month programming schedule on beIN SPORTS 1 PREMIUM in Arabic, and in English on beIN SPORTS 1 ENGLISH, from 20 July to 20 August.Match timings vary between 04:00 MECCA – 15:30 MECCA with most games between 08:00 MECCA – 13:00 MECCA.Arabic coverage on beIN SPORTS 1 PREMIUM will feature in-studio commentary of the tournament’s opening ceremony and match between co-hosts New Zealand and Norway live from the Football Ferns’ national stadium in Auckland’s Eden Park, as well as all the games featuring the Moroccan national team, the semi-finals and the final.The in-studio coverage will be presented by Areej Sleem, the first female Arab presenter to cover a slew of the world’s most prestigious global sporting events.beIN SPORTS will also provide in-depth analysis hosted by two of the Arab world’s most high-profile women footballers in former Jordanian team captain Ala’a Othman, who led her national side to West Asian Championship victories in 2005 and 2007, as well as winning the 2010 First Arab Cup Championship in Bahrain. Othman also steered her Shabab al-Ordon team to four consecutive Women’s League Championship wins.Joining Othman is Fatima Zohra, the former Moroccan player and referee, and the current coach of both the women and men’s teams at Olympique club de Khouribga (OCK) in her home country.Over on beIN SPORTS 1 ENGLISH all 64 matches will be available live and exclusive. There will also be a nightly studio “World Cup Today” on air at 18:00 MECCA, that will show the best of the day’s action.The best analysis will be provided by Jodie Taylor, the current Arsenal FC player and a 51 international cap holder, who was part of the England team that finished third at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Taylor will be joined by Claire Rafferty the former England international and regular UK TV pundit.beIN SPORTS NEWS will also dedicate a 26-minute nightly bulletin to the tournament at 18:00 MECCA to review all the day’s action, preview upcoming games, and air exclusive feature stories and interviews.The bulletins will be presented by a female team of a beIN SPORTS news presenter and guests, and will include reactions from participating nations, including Morocco.“This will be an historic FIFA Women’s World Cup with the tournament’s biggest ever line-up of competing national sides reflecting women’s soccer growing global status,” commented Duncan Walkinshaw, Director of Programs at beIN MENA.“We anticipate strong consumer demand across the region, with Arab fans expected to support the Moroccan side’s fortunes. We will also extend our offering to a ‘free TV channel’ in each MENA territory for the opening ceremony and match, the semi-finals, final and the closing ceremony.“We look forward to providing outstanding coverage of this exceptional tournament and wish all the competing sides the best of luck.”

Doha:  beIN SPORTS has followed up its highly successful FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ podcast with a further two sports-focused audio shows – and despite its latest offering only launching two weeks ago, both new shows are ranked No.1 in the football category across a host of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) markets. From the Heart of the World Cup™ represented beIN’s first foray into podcasting, launched during the FIFA mega-event that took place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December. beIN published a total of 13 episodes during the tournament, with the Arabic-language show ranking No.1 on Apple Podcasts in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Mauritania, and Saudi Arabia.Such was the success, beIN launched its second podcast in January this year. Legends is a weekly, 30-minute show diving into the rich history of elite athletes who have left their mark on their chosen sport. Primarily focused on football, subjects so far include Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, and Just Fontaine, among others. Episode six explored the life and career of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, while the most recent episode – published this past Monday – looked at Luis Figo, the Portuguese midfielder who played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid.With 12 episodes published so far, Legends is ranked No.1 in the football category of Apple Podcasts in eight countries: Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi, Tunisia, and the UAE, as well as holding the No.1 position in the general Sports category in Oman, Qatar, and Tunisia. In Yemen and Bahrain, “Legends” is respectively the second-most and fourth-most downloaded football podcast, while it ranks No.12 in Russia.Noting the high demand for their engaging podcasts, beIN launched a third audio offering on 27 March. The twice-weekly Podcast with Ayman Jada is an open space for the renowned beIN SPORTS presenter to discuss and debate all the hot topics surrounding global football, from specific matches, to teams, new rules, competitions, and crises in certain leagues. The most recent episode, published on 11 April, featuring Haytham Farouk and Tareq Al-Jalahma, explored the current situation of Liverpool FC and their Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah. Other beIN talent that make guest appearances include Wael Gomaa, Tarek Dhiab, Mubarak Mostafa and Abdulaziz Al-Sulaiti.Podcast with Ayman Jada is currently the most-downloaded football show on Apple Podcasts in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Mauritania, Oman, Qatar, Saudi, Tunisia, and the UAE, as well as ranking No.5 in Malaysia, No.9 in the Netherlands, No.16 in Sweden, and No.17 in France.Faisal Mahmoud Al-Raisi, Director of Digital, beIN MENA, said: “beIN SPORTS has long provided high-quality, award-winning visual content to our customers, yet it was somewhat of a new experience entering the world of podcast publishing last November. The reception those first World Cup™ shows received was fantastic and has ultimately led us to launch these two new shows. There is clearly a huge demand for insightful sports opinion and localised football analysis, delivered in podcast format in the Arabic language. We are excited to roll out a host of podcasts in the near future.”All 30-minute episodes of Legends and Podcast with Ayman Jada, as well as the 13 episodes of From the Heart of the World Cup™ can be downloaded for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This month promises a host of season-defining European ties and beIN MEDIA GROUP (“beIN”) will broadcast them all live, exclusive, and with multilingual coverage across the MENA region. Starting on 7 March, beIN SPORTS will show all eight second leg ties from the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, later that same week, the Europa League and Europa Conference League enter the last-16 stage with a variety of mouth-watering first-leg matches.Matches to look out for include:Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund (7 March)Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal in the Premier League continued in the UEFA Champions League as the Blues fell 1-0 to a young Borussia Dortmund side in the first leg, despite having more than 20 attempts at goal. Graham Potter’s side now need to score if they are to progress, and they will have to do so without the suspended Mason Mount. Having suffered a London derby day defeat to Tottenham at the weekend, big-spending Chelsea must bounce back at Stamford Bridge or the pressure on Potter will ramp up further. Dortmund, meanwhile, without the suspended Julian Ryerson, know they just need to keep a fourth clean sheet in five matches to book their place in the last eight.Live studio coverage before the Chelsea versus Borussia Dortmund match kicks-off at 22:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1 and beIN 4K, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1, leading right up to the opening whistle at 23:00 MECCA.Bayern Munich vs PSG (8 March)As PSG prepare to face Bayern Munich, all eyes will be on Lionel Messi as he looks to take the Parisian club a step closer towards its first European Cup. Fresh from being awarded FIFA’s Best Men’s Player for 2022 after his heroics at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, all eyes will be on the Argentine in what promises to be PSG’s most-important match of the season so far. Trailing 1-0 after losing in front of the Parc de Princes faithful, Christophe Galtier’s side will face a tough trip to Munich against a Bayern side that has conceded just twice in seven Champions League games so far this campaign.Live studio coverage before the PSG vs Bayern Munich match starts at 22:00 MECCA on beIN SPORTS Premium 1 and beIN 4K in Arabic, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1, leading right up to match kick-off at 23:00 MECCA.Sporting CP v Arsenal (9 March)High-flying Arsenal sit top of the English Premier League and coach Mikel Arteta will need to make some difficult decisions ahead of his side’s trip to Lisbon in the Europa League Round of 16. Giving key players sufficient rest is crucial to maintain a title charge, yet against a Sporting side that dropped into the competition from the Champions League – despite beating Arsenal’s London rivals Tottenham – they must be especially careful. Sporting eased past Midtjylland 5-1 on aggregate in their playoff tie and in Marcus Edwards, they have a dynamic English player who will be desperate to knock out the league leaders of his home country.You can watch the live studio coverage before the Sporting CP vs Arsenal match starts at 20:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1, leading right up to match kick-off at 20:45 MECCA.The second leg will also be broadcast live on 16 March with an English and Arabic studio leading up to the match kick-off at 23:00 MECCA. Tune in to the live studio coverage at 22:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1.RSC Anderlecht v Villarreal CF (9 March)Champions League semi-finalists last year, Villarreal find themselves this season not only contesting the Europa Conference League, but doing so with a different head coach having replaced Unai Emery with Quique Setien. The Yellow Submarine travel to Anderlecht’s Lotto Park for the first-leg of their Round of 16 tie, with many tipping a goal fest after Villarreal’s six group games featured 23 goals. Anderlecht meanwhile only just squeezed through their playoff, requiring penalties to beat Ludogorets over two legs, and are currently languishing ninth in the Belgian league – closer to the bottom than the top. On paper, it would appear the outcome is a given, yet Villarreal have lost five of their past seven games so nothing is guaranteed.You can watch the first leg of the Anderlecht vs Villarreal match with Arabic and English commentary on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 2 at 20:45 MECCA and the second leg on 16 March at 23:00 MECCA.Manchester United v Real Betis (9 March)Fresh from eliminating Barcelona in their two-legged Europa League playoff and then securing the first trophy of coach Erik Ten Hag’s Old Trafford tenure, Manchester United now face Spain’s Real Betis for a place in the Europa last eight. Playing the first leg away, the Spanish side will be without influential midfielder Nabil Fekir, who looks set to miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury, so the creative responsibility will fall largely on Sergio Canales. For United, Marcus Rashford meanwhile, helped by an in-form Bruno Fernandes, has scored 14 goals in 16 games – a better goal ratio than any other player in Europe.Tune in to watch the live studio coverage before the Manchester United vs Real Betis match starts at 22:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1, leading right up to the opening whistle at 23:00 MECCA.The second leg will also be broadcast live on 16 March. Watch the live studio coverage at 20:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1, leading up to the match kick-off at 20:45 MECCAManchester City vs RB Leipzig (14 March)Manchester City were first-leg favourites at RB Leipzig, but Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol’s second-half equaliser cancelled out Riyad Mahrez's opener and the two teams meet at the Etihad Arena on 15 March with the tie finely poised. The perceived success of Pep Guardiola’s time at City appears to be directly aligned to the club’s performance in the Champions League as they search for that elusive first European Cup. The Spanish coach will be determined to progress to the quarterfinals against a side City beat 6-3 at home in the Group Stages last year.You can watch the live studio coverage before the Manchester City vs RB Leipzig match at 22:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1 and beIN 4K, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1 leading right up to match kick-off at 23:00 MECCA.Real Madrid vs Liverpool (15 March)In what was a re-run of last year’s Champions League final, Real Madrid delivered a historic defeat to Liverpool in February’s first-leg at Anfield. Liverpool had raced into an early two-goal lead, but the 14-times European champions bounced back to become the first side to put five past Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League as they cruised to a 5-2 win. At the Santiago Bernabeu on 16 March, Liverpool will need to attack from the first whistle and while it would take a minor miracle to overcome a three-goal deficit in Madrid, if there is one club that will believe they can do it, it is Liverpool – a club with a history of turning up when seemingly down and out. Tune in to the live studio coverage before the Real Madrid vs Liverpool match starts at 22:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1 and beIN 4K, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1, leading right up to the opening whistle at 23:00 MECCA.Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt (15 March)Napoli have been in scintillating form domestically this season and star men Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will be looking to continue their stellar form in the Champions League when Eintracht Frankfurt visit on 16 March. The runaway leaders of Serie A are yet to lose in regular time at home this season and look almost certain to win their first Scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona. Taking a 2-0 lead into the second leg, Luciano Spalletti’s high-scoring side are slowly establishing themselves as a potential winner of this year’s Champions League – a possibility that would have been derisively dismissed just 12 months ago.Watch Napoli take on Eintracht Frankfurt at 23:00 MECCA with Arabic commentary on beIN SPORTS Premium 2, and with English commentary on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 2.

 In celebration of National Sport Day that takes place on February 14 this year, beIN SPORTS will leave viewers spoilt for choice when it comes to watching the world’s best athletes competing at the peak of their powers. From the long-awaited return of the UEFA Champions League to a pair of star-studded NBA games and elite-level men’s and women’s tennis at home and abroad, audiences can enjoy a packed day of professional sports alongside their own participation in sports activities throughout the day.UEFA Champions League: PSG v Bayern MunichIn arguably his biggest match since lifting the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in December, Lionel Messi will line-up for PSG intent on helping his teammates such as Neymar and Achraf Hakimi take a step closer towards the club’s maiden – and much-anticipated – Champions League title. Bayern however will be no walk in the Parc des Princes, arriving in the French capital with a European pedigree few other clubs can boast. The six-time European Cup winners are rapid in possession and rabid without, so a fast-paced advert for the beautiful game is near certain. It’s not a match anybody will want to miss.You can watch the live studio coverage before the PSG versus Bayern match kicks-off at 22:00 MECCA in Arabic on beIN SPORTS Premium 1 and beIN 4K, and in English on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 1, leading right up to the opening whistle at 23:00 MECCA.UEFA Champions League: AC Milan v Tottenham HotspurNeither Spurs nor the Rossoneri have found much momentum this season, with both struggling at times domestically. Yet history shows that form can all go out the window when the Champions League music plays. With Tottenham manager Antonio Conte returning to the city where he led Inter to the Scudetto in 2021, a hostile atmosphere surely awaits, and last year’s league champions Milan will be desperate to kick-start a season that is at risk of fading to nothing. Yet with Harry Kane fit and firing and the likes of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur returning to Italy with a point to prove, a mouth-watering clash awaits.You can watch Milan versus Spurs with Arabic commentary on beIN SPORTS Premium 2 and with English commentary on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 2 at 23:00 MECCA.EFL Championship: Burnley v WatfordHigh-flying Burnley look certain to return to the English Premier League just 12 months after relegation to the Championship. Vincent Kompany’s men sit top of the league after losing just twice in the opening 28 games. They host Watford at Turf Moor looking to extend their lead at the top, while Slaven Bilic’s Hornets – also relegated to the second tier of the English game last season – are themselves looking to secure a place in the playoff positions. Ismaila Sarr will, as ever, be the Watford star to keep an eye on; if anyone can hurt Kompany’s title challengers, it is the Senegal attacker. Yet Jack Cork and Co will have other ideas.You can watch Burnley versus Watford with Arabic commentary on beIN SPORTS Premium 3 and with English commentary on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 3 at 23:00 MECCA.NBA: Denver Nuggets v Miami HeatSet for the Miami-Dade Arena, the Heat and Nuggets should produce an exciting NBA matchup given both teams have eye-catching performers that bring energy and excitement to the basketball court, such as the Heat’s free-throw king Jimmy Butler and Denver’s Serbian centre Nikola Jokic. With the Nuggets sitting top of the Western Conference, they will no doubt enter the game confident, but you can never rule out the effect of a vocal Floridian crowd.You can watch the Nuggets versus Heat with Arabic commentary on beIN SPORTS Premium 3 and with English commentary on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 2 at 03:30 MECCA.NBA: Milwaukee Timberwolves v Dallas MavericksThe two games played earlier this season between the Timberwolves and Mavericks saw them share the spoils as they each captured a win. With the two franchises battling for a playoff spot, the third game is destined to be a thriller with Mavs’ superstar Luka Donicic enjoying a standout season that has him averaging 30+ points per game. On the other hand, Timberwolves’ shooting guard Anthony Edwards is doing what it takes to keep his team in the playoff positions and will be expected to continue in that vain. Who will have the final laugh between these two this season? Only one way to find out…You can watch the Timberwolves versus Mavericks with Arabic commentary on beIN SPORTS 7 at 04:30 MECCA. WTA 500 Qatar TotalEnergies OpenThe second day of Qatar’s WTA 500 event is sure to be busy with a packed line-up that includes, among others, six of the world’s top 10 players. Poland’s World No.1 Iga Swiatek won in Doha last year, marking the start of her incredible undefeated streak, while American duo Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff – World No4 and No6 respectively – return to the scene where they won doubles last year, each looking to add a singles title to their list of career achievements.You can watch the WTA 500 Qatar TotalEnergies Open with Arabic studio coverage on beIN SPORTS 5 starting from 13:30 MECCA and coverage with English commentary on beIN SPORTS ENGLISH 3 from 14:00 MECCA.ATP 500 ABN Amro OpenThe 50th anniversary of Rotterdam’s ATP 500 event has attracted an impressive field at a busy time of year, with last month’s Australian Open finalist and World No.3 Stefanos Tsitsipas joining World No.5 Andrey Rublev and last year’s champion Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada. Andy Murray was forced to withdraw after his exertions in Melbourne, so Tallon Griekspoor, the Netherlands’ second-ranked player, has been handed a wildcard and will be keen to go deep during this most special of occasions for the historic tournament. You can watch the ABN Amro Open with English commentary on beIN SPORTS 6 from 13:30 MECCA.  

beIN MEDIA GROUP (“beIN”) has revealed its extensive broadcast plans for the upcoming final of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – including live, exclusive, and multilingual coverage of 18 December’s finale between Argentina and France. The broadcast will be made available on beIN SPORTS’ free-to-air channel and, as part of its commitment to making the Arab World’s first World Cup accessible for viewers across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the match, as well as the entire day’s coverage, will be available to stream free of charge on beIN’s official YouTube channel.As the official broadcaster in 24 countries across MENA, beIN has played a central role in showcasing Qatar and its ground-breaking tournament to the world this past month, with more than 5 billion accumulated views since the biggest sporting event on the planet kicked off on November 20.Sunday’s trophy match between an Argentina side looking to secure a third World Cup title and the regaining world champions, France promises to be one of the most-watched sports events in history.Mohammad Al-Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA said: “The final of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ this Sunday will be a historic occasion for football, for the Arab World, and for beIN. For this reason, we are determined to make sure it is available to as many people who want to watch it as possible. We started this tournament promising to provide an unrivalled viewing experience to football fans across the region and, with billions of people having tuned in so far, we can safely say we have succeeded in doing that. Now, with two games remaining, we are set to finish the tournament as we started, and cannot wait to witness – and broadcast – history as it is written.”Ahead of the 18:00 final match kick-off inside the iconic Lusail stadium, Arabic coverage will start at 08:00 MECCA on beIN SPORTS’ free-to-air channel, beIN SPORTS MAX 1, and beIN SPORTS’ YouTube channel, with a series of shows and countdowns, before the in-studio build-up gets underway from 16:00 to 02:00 MECCA the following day.English live coverage starts at 11:00 MECCA on beIN SPORTS MAX 3 with the World Cup Daily, followed by a countdown show from 13:00 to 15:45 MECCA. The commentary on the final match will kick off at 16:00 until 21:45 and is available in both Spanish as well as English.French live coverage will begin at 10:00 MECCA on beIN SPORTS MAX 5, with the live pre-match show kicking off at 15:30 MECCA direct from Lusail Stadium. Final match commentary will proceed from 16:00 until 22:30, with Sunday’s coverage being completed with a post-match show.beIN will have the best line up of regional and international talents anywhere in the world providing the best analysis and insight into the much-anticipated Final. Sunday’s studios will include: Mohammed Aboutrika, Tarek Al Jamala, Kaka, Marcel Desailly, John Terry, Ruud Gullit, Omar Da Fonseca and Daniel Bravo. 

beIN MEDIA GROUP (beIN) will launch its revamped beIN SPORTS NEWS channel at midday today, (11/11), exactly 11 years after its first-ever broadcast. The Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) leading channel for sports news will be broadcast from its brand-new, state-of-the-art studio, located in the heart of Doha.The Arabic language channel boasts a new look and feel, along with a slogan reflective of its approach to news coverage - "First Source for the Latest News.” It also features exclusive programming, over 40 global correspondents, and a world class line-up of presenters.  This refresh will be carried through digital channels, streamlined for easy navigation for its millions of followers. The channel will deliver hourly live news bulletins, along with ongoing analysis and feature content in crisp HD. As part of its aim to expand access for underrepresented groups, its 20:00 MECCA evening bulletin will also be delivered in sign language.As the Official Broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM across MENA, content for beIN SPORTS NEWS will initially focus on tournament-related news and features. Post December 18th, content will broaden to encompass the entire sporting world. So, viewers can still expect the same round-the-clock news bulletins, searing analysis and original, engaging content.Commenting on the revitalised Channel, Mohammed Al-Bader, Managing Director of beIN Channels – MENA, said: “The relaunch of beIN SPORTS NEWS marks an exciting new chapter for us at beIN. We are relentless in our efforts to provide our audiences with an unmatched viewing experience, particularly as we approach the kick-off of the greatest show on earth. However, our ambitions extend far beyond FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, and we continue to evolve and diversify our content. The relaunch of this 24-hour news channel will see us unanimously viewed as the primary news source for the latest in sport.”In a first look before the official launch, media toured the premises and met with CEO of beIN MENA, Mohammad Al-Subaie, who welcomed them to the brand-new state-of-the-art studio, as well as Director of News, Mohammed Ammor and Manager of News Output, Ali Al-Mosllamani, who outlined the vision and mission of the refreshed channel and provided a detailed overview of what to expect. First Source for the Latest NewsThe channel’s new slogan speaks to its focus on delivering the news as it happens – with immediate coverage of breaking stories in the world of sports. Meanwhile, a roster of reporters providing on the ground coverage, will use “First in, Last out” – for tournaments and large-scale events, a slogan indicative of a commitment to cover all the news- and reactions.The refreshed channel will provide viewers with hourly news bulletins, in addition to live and pre-recorded content. In the run up to and during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM (November 11th – December 18th), programming will broadly include the following:Dedicated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM news bulletins covering all tournament-related breaking news.Ongoing live coverage related to the tournament, including team training sessions, footage from fan zones, coverage directly from teams’ hotels, and much, much more.Scheduled programming throughout the day. Some highlights include:Huna Qatar, a three-hour morning program which reviews all the action from the previous evening, allowing viewers to catch up on anything they may have missed.“World Cup Numbers”: A detailed look at fascinating statistics and records of the players, teams, and matches."I Am the World Cup" which considers the World Cup from the perspective of the fans.“Doha Time Show”: The traditions and culture of Qatar, including tourism attractions, interesting facts, and more.Ongoing coverage from beIN SPORTS NEWS social media feeds will keep followers abreast of the latest developments, with a brand-new colour coding system allowing for easy navigation of the news as follows:Green: End of match results will follow «End of Match».Yellow: Live stories will be under «Happening Now».Red: Non-exclusive news stories from our reporters/sources, will appear next to «Latest News».Purple: Exclusive news stories from our reporters/sources will appear next to «First Source».

 beIN SPORTS, the flagship channel of the beIN MEDIA GROUP, has renewed the rights to broadcast the Bundesliga in all 24 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in a three-year deal.The German top-flight returns to the beIN SPORTS channels this weekend with fixtures including Borussia Dortmund opening Matchday 5 against TSG Hoffenheim on Friday (kick-off at 21.30 MECCA) and first v second with Julian Nagelsmann’s FC Bayern München as they travel to 1. FC Union Berlin on Saturday (kick-off at 16.30 MECCA).beIN SPORTS has the exclusive rights to all 306 Bundesliga fixtures, as well as the end-of-season relegation play-offs, the German Supercup, and Bundesliga 2 as the league returns to the leading media group in MENA. The deal includes full clip and highlights rights across beIN SPORTS’ digital and social media channels and beinsports.com.The Bundesliga is home to some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including 31 times champions FC Bayern München and the current UEFA Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt. After four weekends of the season, it already promises to be a campaign to remember, with Bayern and Union currently tied at the top. Dortmund are just one point back, and could leapfrog their rivals with a win on Friday night.beIN SPORTS now holds the rights to the Bundesliga in France, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, and the MENA region, covering 28 global territories in total.Mohammad Al-Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Bundesliga back to beIN SPORTS in the MENA region. As one of the biggest and most significant leagues in world football, we’re proud to give German football fans the best viewing and engagement experiences, while helping German football flourish and grow. From the English Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, UEFA competitions, and an unparalleled multi-sports offering, Bundesliga sits alongside the best sports products in the world, as beIN SPORTS continues to be the ultimate destination for football and sports fans alike.”“We also look forward to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the biggest football showpiece in the world – and featuring a wealth of Bundesliga players – taking place right here in the Middle East, with every match exclusively live on beIN SPORTS. There’s never been a better time to be a beIN SPORTS subscriber.”Robert Klein, CEO of Bundesliga International, said: “With stars such as reigning African Player of the Year Sadio Mane lighting up the league each week, we look forward to working with beIN SPORTS to deliver world-class localised content and showcase the best of the Bundesliga over the next three years to the millions of football fans throughout the region, who can now follow the league as well as their favourite teams and players again.”

DOHA: beIN SPORTS, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has confirmed it will remain the home of the US Open Tennis Championships until 2027 after renewing exclusive media rights to the tournament for a further five years. The extension means beIN will continue to be the only platform in the MENA region where viewers can watch all four Grand Slams.beIN has held the exclusive rights to the US Open for more than a decade, demonstrating the broadcaster’s long-standing commitment to helping grow both men’s and women’s tennis across the region. The new deal, which runs from 2023 to 2027 and includes Arabic and English language coverage, is a continuation of that and comes at a time when local interest in tennis has arguably never been higher.“beIN and the US Open have enjoyed a highly successful partnership over the past decade, bringing to the Middle East and North Africa some of the most memorable tennis matches of recent years,” said Mohammad Al-Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA. “Interest in tennis is at an all-time high in this region and we are delighted to have the broadcast rights for five more years. Continuing to be the home of Grand Slam tennis gives us the chance to share more special sporting moments with our subscribers and we look forward to another exciting tournament later this month.”“The US Open and beIN have together delivered spectacular tennis to fans in the Middle East and North Africa for many years, and we are so very pleased to continue our partnership” said Kirsten Corio, Chief Commercial Officer, USTA. “As the world’s best tennis players, including Ons Jabeur, compete on our Grand Slam stage, we look forward to continuing to expand the US Open audience throughout the region for many years to come”.This year’s tournament is scheduled to take place from 28 August to 10 September when the eyes of the region will be on beIN SPORTS to see if Tunisian Ons Jabeur can emulate her Wimbledon feat and reach successive finals at Flushing Meadows as she continues to hunt a maiden Grand Slam title. Among those standing in her way will be World No1 Iga Swiatek, American duo Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, and this year’s Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova.In the men’s tournament, World No1 Carlos Alcaraz is looking to become the first male tennis player since Roger Federer in 2008 to win back-to-back US Open titles. Novak Djokovic, a three-time winner at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre will have other plans however as he searches for an unprecedented 24th Grand Slam title. World No3 Daniel Medvedev won in New York in 2021, while Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud and a host of other contenders will be intent on making their own history. The exclusive coverage on beIN SPORTS will run from 18:00 MECCA to early morning every match day, available with Arabic commentary on beIN SPORTS 5 (Arthur Ashe Court) and beIN SPORTS 6 (Louis Armstrong Court) and English commentary on beIN SPORTS 7 (Grandstand Court), with the best matches from each days play airing in English on beIN SPORTS 2 ENGLISH.This will be complemented by dedicated studios where beIN’s best-in-class tennis experts will be on hand to offer unmatched analysis and commentary, assess the top results and top players’ performance, and share behind the scenes highlights. Viewers will hear from Adel Al Shatti, Karim Alami, Selima Sfar, Anass Lamrani, and more incredible tennis athletes, sharing their expert commentary and analysis, alongside beIN’s presenter, Areej Sleem. beIN will also be catering to its viewers and subscribers with exclusive daily highlights shows covering all the best matches, tournament reviews, and documentaries with the biggest names in world tennis.