DAZN has pulled out of its domestic rights deal for Belgian top-flight football, throwing the Pro League’s broadcast plans into turmoil and raising the prospect of a TV blackout.
The streaming platform has cancelled its multi-year contract to show the Jupiler Pro League, saying the agreement has “ended in accordance with Belgian law” after months of deadlocked talks with clubs and major telecom operators. DAZN failed to secure carriage with key distributors such as Proximus and Telenet, leaving games available only via its own app – a model the company says was not commercially viable.
The Pro League had awarded DAZN the domestic rights for the 2025-30 seasons in December 2024 in a deal expected to generate at least €84.2 million per season, down from the previous €103 million agreement. Despite that reduction, DAZN argues that operating without wider distribution meant it would be selling at a loss and could not continue under the original terms.
Massimo D’Amario, managing director of DAZN Belgium, said the company had “no other choice” but to let the contract lapse under Belgian law, insisting “no company should be forced to operate at a loss”. The Pro League has reacted angrily, accusing DAZN of ending the collaboration unilaterally and vowing to take “all necessary legal measures” to make sure the platform honours its commitments.
With the decision coming mid-season, there is immediate uncertainty over whether upcoming fixtures will be shown domestically, with rights holder and league both under pressure to find a short-term solution. Belgian consumer affairs minister Rob Beenders has warned DAZN it must refund customers if screens go dark, describing the situation as “dramatic” for fans who have paid to watch their clubs.
The collapse of the deal is also a financial blow for Pro League clubs, which rely heavily on media-rights income for their budgets. Some teams have already begun exploring a direct-to-consumer streaming service as a potential long-term alternative to traditional rights sales, a discussion likely to accelerate in the wake of DAZN’s exit. It comes as the streamer recalibrates its football strategy, having already walked away from France’s Ligue 1 rights amid a legal dispute over unpaid fees and shifted focus towards global properties such as FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup and a possible bid for a new worldwide Champions League package from 2027.
