When the XFL and USFL merged last year to form the United Football League (UFL), the goal was simple: consolidate spring football into a single, sustainable product. But consolidation alone doesn’t guarantee growth. Global reach does — and that’s what the UFL just locked in.
The league has signed a global media rights deal with DAZN for its 2025 season, giving international audiences free access to every UFL game. The agreement, secured by media rights partner IMG, excludes a few territories — notably the U.S., Canada, China, and parts of Europe and Africa — but still covers more than 200 markets. It’s a significant move for a property that’s still finding its footing.
This is more than just distribution. It’s about validation. DAZN’s American football slate already includes the NFL Game Pass, European League of Football, and now, the UFL — a clear sign that the streamer sees upside in owning the American football conversation globally, especially during the NFL offseason.
For the UFL, this is about turning perception into momentum. Last weekend’s 2025 season opener between the St. Louis Battlehawks and Houston Roughnecks averaged 690,000 viewers. Not massive, but not insignificant for a league trying to prove spring football can work. Making the entire season accessible for free on DAZN helps build a fan base beyond U.S. borders — a lever the NFL has pulled for years.
It’s also another win for DAZN’s free-to-air strategy. While its subscription business is still evolving, its willingness to host live sports content for free in key markets shows a long-game approach to engagement. For DAZN, the UFL is yet another piece in a broader American football flywheel — and one that’s less about viewership today and more about platform stickiness over time.
UFL EVP Wendy Bass said it plainly: the league wants to grow the sport globally. DAZN gives them the rails. Whether fans come for the Battlehawks and stay for the Brahmas — that’s the bet.
