Banijay Entertainment has secured rights to livestream select Bundesliga matches in the U.K. and Ireland on the Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party YouTube platform, produced by the Banijay UK label Workerbee.
The deal covers live coverage of seven matches from the upcoming 2026/27 season, with Vardy and guests offering reactions, commentary and discussion. The pact also includes digital and social rights around the seven matches, plus access to select Bundesliga archive content for YouTube distribution globally (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Managed by Banijay UK Digital and Workerbee, the archive content will be made available across channels under Banijay Entertainment’s digital sports brand, Players Network. There will also be FAST distribution, courtesy of Banijay Rights on the upcoming Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party channel.
Rick Murray, CEO of Workerbee, noted, “Fans don’t just want to watch football anymore, they want to experience it with the people they already know and trust. Jamie has built an incredible community around the podcast, and thanks to our Bundesliga partnership, we can bring that audience closer to some seriously big games. This deal acts as another major step for Banijay Entertainment’s growing sports offering, which combines brilliant talent, premium football, and plenty of ways to watch. The only thing we can’t promise is fewer arguments about VAR.”
Peer Naubert, chief commercial officer of Bundesliga Media, noted, “Our approach is as diverse as our fans. Football audiences are changing, and there is no single way in which people want to experience the Bundesliga. Our job is to understand each market, work with the right partners and build a distribution model around how fans actually consume football there. The U.K. and Ireland is a great example of that approach. Last season, our collaboration with YouTube showed the potential of creator-led coverage, particularly in reaching younger audiences. Renewing that partnership and adding Jamie Vardy gives fans another distinctive way to experience the Bundesliga, alongside our established broadcast, streaming and digital partners.”
