The deal includes all practice and qualifying sessions, F1 Sprint events and Grands Prix, together with the FIA Formula 2 Championship and FIA Formula 3 Championship and Porsche Supercup races across the MENA and Türkiye.
BeIN Media Group has inked a deal to secure exclusive rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship across 25 countries, spanning the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as well as Türkiye, from the commencement of the 2024 season until the culmination of the 2033 season.
The new 10-year agreement ensures that subscribers across MENA and Türkiye to beIN’s flagship platforms – beIN Sports and beIN’s OTT platform TOD – will have access to every moment of Practice, Qualifying, F1 Sprint, and Grand Prix races live, accompanied by Arabic, Turkish, and English commentary, alongside exclusive in-depth analysis from leading presenters and pundits. Furthermore, viewers across both MENA and Türkiye will enjoy the privilege of witnessing every single race in 4K/UHD on beIN Sports and TOD, with F2 and F3 races also available live and exclusively in Arabic, Turkish, and English.
The partnership also encompasses an exclusive content collaboration for the MENA region, paving the way for Formula 1 and beIN to collaborate on crafting content tailored specifically to the large and passionate audience in the MENA region. Notably, Doha is poised to emerge as a dedicated regional content production hub, leveraging beIN’s world-leading production capabilities.
The action-packed 2024 season boasts a record 24-race calendar, commencing and concluding the season within MENA. This includes four major regional Grands Prix, kicking off in Bahrain on 29 February for the season opener, followed swiftly by Saudi Arabia in March, Qatar in November, before culminating with the season finale in Abu Dhabi in December.
Commenting on the deal, Yousef Al-Obaidly, CEO of BeIN Media Group, said: “We are delighted to see the return of Formula 1 live and exclusively on beIN across 25 countries spanning the MENA region and Türkiye. beIN continues to be the undisputed home of sport across MENA and Türkiye, with Formula 1 the centre-piece of our incredible portfolio. We look forward to creating thrilling Formula 1 experiences for millions of fans and growing a new generation of followers through exciting regional content and innovative broadcasting. This deal is also a testament to the fantastic long-term success and continued ambitions of BeIN Media Group as one of the leading sports, entertainment and media groups in the world.”
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, added: “Since Formula 1 first raced in Bahrain in 2004, we have seen the growth of a passionate fanbase in the Middle East who love to go racing. With beIN, we have found a partner who elevates the broadcast experience and creates best-in-class programming that delivers against our mission to showcase the drama and spectacle of Formula 1 for our fans at home.”
Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights and Content Creation at Formula 1, stated: “With four races and a rapidly growing fanbase, demand for Formula 1 in the Middle East and Türkiye is at an all-time high. In recent years beIN has established itself as one of the leading sports broadcasters in the world, offering fans unparalleled coverage across its sports portfolio. We look forward to working with them, utilising their extensive production capabilities in Doha, to continue to elevate F1’s broadcast programming and create tailor-made content that engages fans in the region and encapsulates the drama and excitement of Formula 1.”
This transformative and long-term partnership builds upon beIN’s existing collaboration with Formula 1 in the Asia Pacific region, where beIN holds exclusive broadcasting rights in ten countries until the culmination of the 2025 season. With this latest development, beIN emerges as the official broadcaster of Formula 1 in a total of 35 countries worldwide, reinforcing its position as a leading sports broadcaster. Moreover, this agreement enhances beIN and TOD’s multi-sport offering, further solidifying their stature in the media landscape. This move aligns with a series of long-term media rights partnership agreements in MENA, including the FIFA World Cup, AFC, and US Open, underscoring beIN’s commitment to delivering premium sports content to its audience.
