The Premier League has announced plans to launch its own direct-to-consumer streaming service, marking a significant shift in how English top-flight football is delivered to fans.
The new platform, to be called Premier League Plus, will debut in Singapore next season and will allow subscribers to watch all 380 matches of the campaign, alongside additional content and a 24/7 channel. The move represents a departure from the league’s long-standing model of selling broadcast rights in packages to traditional media partners.
Importantly, existing agreements — including the UK’s record £6.7 billion domestic rights deal with Sky Sports and TNT Sports — will remain unaffected.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters unveiled the initiative at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London, describing it as the result of “a very long, considered process.”
“For the first time the Premier League is going to have its own customers,” Masters said, explaining that the Netflix-style app will be accessible on smart TVs and laptops, offering live matches and extensive supplementary programming.
He added that the Singapore launch will serve as a test case. “We’re looking to learn, to see how that might be replicated all around the world,” he said, noting that wider expansion would depend on the platform’s initial success.
The Premier League’s move mirrors similar strategies adopted by major sports organisations such as the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB) and Formula One, all of which operate their own streaming services to complement traditional broadcast deals.
The launch will coincide with the opening of a new Premier League Studios production hub in Olympia, London, further strengthening the league’s in-house media capabilities.
While broadcast rights remain a cornerstone of the league’s financial strength, direct-to-consumer streaming offers greater control over content distribution and the potential to capture additional subscription revenue.
By building a direct relationship with viewers, the Premier League could reshape the global football viewing experience — and potentially redefine the commercial model that has underpinned its success for decades.
Melissa Enoch
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