Does ESPN Have Saudi Pro League Rights

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In short: Yes — ESPN does have rights to the Saudi Pro League, but only in certain regions. If you’re wondering “does ESPN have Saudi Pro League” here in the US, or in your country, it depends heavily on where you are. Below, CandyGoal will walk you through who has the broadcast rights in various territories, what ESPN’s involvement is like, and how you can watch matches depending on where you live.

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What the Saudi Pro League is and why this matters

What the Saudi Pro League is and why this matters
What the Saudi Pro League is and why this matters

The Saudi Pro League is the top tier of professional football in Saudi Arabia. Recently, it’s become a global draw thanks to major signings — stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Sadio Mané, and others have boosted its profile. Broadcasters around the world are scrambling for rights.

If you’re a fan outside Saudi Arabia, understanding who has “the rights” means knowing which channel or streaming service in your country is licensed to show the Saudi Pro League. That’s where “does ESPN have Saudi Pro League” becomes a tricky question: yes, in some places; no, in others.

ESPN’s rights by region — where they DO have it

ESPN’s rights by region — where they DO have it
ESPN’s rights by region — where they DO have it

CandyGoal has gathered the most up-to-date info on where ESPN does hold rights to show Saudi Pro League matches:

  • Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa secured rights to broadcast the ROSHN Saudi League. This deal covers showing three matches, plus key cup competitions (e.g. Kings Cup, Saudi Super Cup).
  • Other territories: On the official Saudi Pro League broadcaster listings, ESPN is listed for Sub-Saharan Africa among other providers.

So, yes — in Africa (especially Sub-Saharan Africa) ESPN is a major broadcaster for SPL games.

ESPN’s rights by region — where they DO not or only partially have it

ESPN’s rights by region — where they DO not or only partially have it
ESPN’s rights by region — where they DO not or only partially have it

In many regions, ESPN **t

In many regions, ESPN does not have primary or full rights, but there are partial or selective broadcasts. Key examples:

  • United States: The Saudi Pro League in the US is not primarily on ESPN. Fox Sports holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for most Saudi Pro League matches in the US. ESPN may show some “marquee” or selected games, but it does not have full, exclusive coverage.
  • UK, Germany, Canada, other markets: In many countries, DAZN, FOX Sports, Sport TV, Movistar+, etc., hold the rights. ESPN does not dominate in those places with respect to the Saudi Pro League.

Why “does ESPN have Saudi Pro League” is often asked

There are a few reasons this question keeps coming up, especially among US fans:

  1. Star players – high-profile signings make fans expect big broadcasters to pick it up. When Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr, people assumed ESPN would be deeply involved, like with many European leagues.
  2. Streaming/ESPN+ confusion – because ESPN provides streaming services and sublicensing in some areas, it can be unclear whether “ESPN” means the ESPN channels, ESPN+ (or similar), or ESPN Africa / ESPN’s regional branches.
  3. Broadcast rights shift often – rights deals change, so what was true last season may no longer be true. Many MLB, NBA, EPL deals change year to year or multi-year blocks. Same for leagues like the Saudi Pro League.

How to watch Saudi Pro League if you live in the US or elsewhere

Given the complexity, here are some tips, by region:

  • In the US: Since Fox Sports has the rights, majority of matches will be on FOX Sports networks (English and Spanish), and streaming, but don’t count on full league coverage there.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa: ESPN Africa is your go-to. They carry multiple matches.
  • Europe / UK / Canada etc: Check if DAZN, Sport TV, Movistar+, or other local major sports networks have the rights in your country. SPL’s official broadcast listings show the assigned broadcasters by country.

To help you understand the search intent and related terms, here are some of the main keywords people use that cluster with does espn have saudi pro league:

  • “Watch Saudi Pro League USA”
  • “Saudi Pro League broadcast rights”
  • “Saudi Pro League ESPN+”
  • “Saudi Pro League USA TV channel”
  • “Where to watch SPL matches”
  • “Saudi Pro League rights DAZN vs Fox vs ESPN”
  • “ESPN Africa Saudi Pro League”

These terms are good to sprinkle in when writing articles or doing searches yourself.

  • The SPL signed new international media rights deals covering over 130 territories.
  • ESPN Africa’s deal is recent (2025) for sub-Saharan Africa, increasing exposure of the league through ESPN channels in that region.
  • In the US, Fox Sports remains primary for the SPL. There have been no recent announcements of ESPN obtaining full rights in the US.

Conclusion

If you’re asking does ESPN have Saudi Pro League, the answer is: yes, in certain regions (notably parts of Africa), but no, not as full rights holder in the US. It depends on your country.

If you want, CandyGoal can help you figure out exactly where you are and which service you can use to watch every Saudi Pro League game in your area. Want me to check for your city or state?

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