STARZPLAY, a leading regional video-on-demand service, has announced a multi-year partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation.This strategic agreement grants STARZPLAY exclusive broadcast rights to all UFC content throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Additionally, the partnership will see the launch of a dedicated 24/7 UFC channel, STARZPLAY Sports UFC.Through this partnership, fight fans in the MENA region will gain unprecedented access to UFC content, including:  Live Event Streaming: Witness the electrifying intensity of live UFC fights directly through the STARZPLAY app.  Localized Content: Enjoy Arabic-language programming, such as UFC Countdown and UFC Connected, providing deeper insights and analysis.  On-Demand Library: Explore a vast library of past fights, documentaries, and original UFC programming on-demand.“The MENA region is a critical market for UFC,” said David Shaw, UFC Executive Vice President, Head of International and Content. “We’ve had incredible success hosting live events with our partners at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. This partnership with STARZPLAY allows us to further expand our reach and provide unparalleled content access to our ever-growing fan base in the Middle East and North Africa.”“UFC has a longstanding relationship with Abu Dhabi, our home city,” said Andy Warkman, STARZPLAY Head of Sport. “We are thrilled to become the exclusive home of UFC in the MENA region. UFC boasts a massive fanbase here, and STARZPLAY is committed to delivering unparalleled coverage, localized specifically for our regional audience. The launch of our dedicated STARZPLAY Sports UFC channel and comprehensive on-demand UFC content hub exemplifies our dedication to showcasing world-class sports tailored for MENA viewers.”The newly launched STARZPLAY Sports UFC channel and its extensive UFC content library will be available on the STARZPLAY app, accessible on Smart TVs, mobile platforms, and the STARZPLAY website. Further details regarding launch dates will be announced soon.

The AFC Asian Cup 2023, Asia's premier continental football competition, kicks off in Qatar on 12th January. This highly anticipated tournament will feature the participation of 24 teams as current champions Qatar look to retain their title on home soil. All matches will be broadcast exclusively in the UAE on Abu Dhabi Sports Asia 1 via STARZPLAY.The action starts on Friday, as host nation Qatar kick off the defence of their title against Lebanon at 20:00 UAE. The journey concludes with the grand final on February 10, at the iconic Lusail Stadium, where two finalists will compete for continental glory at 19:00 UAE.The illustrious 88,000-seater Lusail Stadium, inaugurated in September 2022, has already etched its name in history. In October 2023, it witnessed Lionel Messi's triumphant moment in the 2022 World Cup final. This iconic venue is all set to host the AFC Asian Cup 2023™, promising fans an unforgettable experience.The AFC Asian Cup, now in its 18th edition, was initially slated for 2023. However, the tournament was rescheduled to 2024 due to high summer temperatures and Qatar's participation in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.Football fans in the UAE can catch all the action live and exclusively on Abu Dhabi Sports Asia via STARZPLAY. Don't miss a moment of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 football fever.When and where to watch?Match: Qatar vs LebanonVenue: Lusail StadiumDate and Time: January 12th 20:00 UAEWhere to watch live: https://starzplay.com/channels/starzplaysportsWith thousands of hours of premium content including the best western content, Arabic shows, Turkish favourites, anime, and live sports, STARZPLAY is fast solidifying its position as a leading multi-faceted entertainment hub. The service is available in 19 countries across the MENA for fans to enjoy quality content anytime, anywhere, and from any device.

From October 5 to November 19, Starzplay, the streaming service serving the MENA region, will broadcast the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. This tournament, in its 13th edition, will feature ten teams, engaging in a round-robin format. The top four teams, including the 2019 champions, England, will advance to the Semi-Finals. Notably, this World Cup is unique as it's the first time India hosts it individually since their last co-hosting in 1987, 1996, and 2011. Furthermore, this is the final time ten teams will compete, as the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will expand to include fourteen teams.Evision, the media division of e&, has secured the rights for its CricLife channels, making them the primary cricket broadcast platform in the MENA region. The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will be showcased on CricLife Max and CricLife Max 2, both available for streaming on Starzplay.Starzplay's Chief Operations Officer, Danny Bates, expressed enthusiasm, stating: “The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is the biggest event of the year, and we are excited to bring this prestigious tournament to fans across MENA. At Starzplay, we are committed to providing our subscribers with a diverse range of world-class sport, and bringing the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to Starzplay re-enforces that commitment. Our platform has witnessed remarkable viewership with previous ICC tournaments, and we are confident that this year’s Cricket World Cup will be no exception.”Olivier Bramly, CEO at evision, said: “We are committed to delivering the pinnacle of sports and entertainment content, sourced both locally and globally. Our very own CricLife brand that is now the Home of Cricket in MENA region is proud to be the Official Broadcaster for ICC Men’s World Cup and we are elated to bring this to the customers through Starzplay.”

STARZPLAY, ranked consistently among the region’s top 3 subscription video on demand service, today announced its partnership with Perfect Solutions in Jordan to bring the world of football closer to fans in the market. Perfect Solutions has fostered strong relations and also offers access to government agencies in its distribution network.As part of the distribution deal, Perfect Solutions will provide sports lovers with physical vouchers as an alternative to subscribing via credit card to STARZPLAY’s sports offering, which is currently streaming the prestigious Italian Football League Serie A. The vouchers will be sold across Perfect Solutions’ 500+ stores.Raghida Abou Fadel, SVP for Business Development & Sales, STARZPLAY, said: “We are pleased to partner with Perfect Solutions to offer our services via their extensive network. Subscription through distributors is one of the fastest and easiest ways to make our content available to millions of subscribers. Credit card penetration outside of the UAE is relatively low and such partnerships therefore support in expanding our subscriber base and connecting with new users. Subscription base from these partnerships is our biggest growth channel and we look forward to strengthening our network.”Tariq Doglas, CEO from Perfect Solutions added “We are delighted to partner with the region’s leading streaming platform STARZPLAY to offer additional benefits and convenience to our customers. With the evolving consumer needs, it has become imperative to offer value-added benefits to retain our existing customer base as well as attract potential customers. We are confident our partnership with STARZPPLAY will be welcomed by our customers and will certainly bring more value to their overall experience with us.”STARZPLAY Sports is home to premium international and regional tournaments such as Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, Dutch Eredivisie, International Cricket, All Elite Wrestling, PGA Tour, EuroLeague & EuroCup basketball competitions, Queensbury Boxing, any many more sporting leagues.With thousands of hours of premium content including the best western content, Arabic shows, Turkish favourites, anime, and live sports, STARZPLAY is available in 19 countries across the Middle East, North?Africa,?and Pakistan for fans to enjoy quality content anytime, anywhere, and from any device.