DAZN MENA: The Next Big Sports Entertainment Platform in the Middle East?
Backed by new Saudi investment, can DAZN take the lead in MENA sports streaming?
Hey streamers 👋
Yesterday, DAZN dropped an official press release to announce two major news:
SURJ Sports Investment agrees to acquire minority stake in DAZN, accelerating the growth of the world-leading sports entertainment platform
SURJ and DAZN to work closely on establishing DAZN MENA—a broadcasting joint venture
Most of the global sports community will probably focus on the first news, trying to guess the deal value.
But today, I want to write about the second one as DAZN MENA could have a much bigger impact on the sports landscape in MENA.
Today’s program
DAZN in MENA: a year in review
Breaking down the DAZN/SURJ announcement
So what?
And… Action!
DAZN in MENA: a year in review
Before getting into the latest news, here’s a quick recap of DAZN journey in MENA over the past year.
I did a similar update less than six months ago, so it’s time for a fresh update ↓
It’s obvious that DAZN expansion in the MENA region is accelerating, with more sports rights available, and significant partnerships:
March 2024 - DAZN added the PGA Tour Pass for Golf fans in MENA.
April 2024 - DAZN secured sports rights to the Masters 2024 Golf tournament for MENA.
July 2024 - Strategic partnership with Pulse Media MENA, appointing them as the exclusive media and advertising sales partner in the region.
July 2024 - DAZN streamed the Esports World Cup (that happened in Saudi Arabia) globally for free.
September 2024 - Al-Nassr FC and DAZN launched an exclusive channel to deliver content globally: Nassr TV.
October 2024 - DAZN obtained exclusive rights to Riyadh Season events (co-exclusive within the MENA region) and international rights for boxing events outside of MENA.
November 2024 – DAZN launched 11 sports FAST channels in MENA.
December 2024 - DAZN is now available in Arabic.
February 2025 - SURJ Sports Investment announces investment in DAZN and the creation of DAZN MENA, a broadcasting joint venture.
You can read a full analysis of DAZN in MENA in my article below:
Now, let’s talk about yesterday’s big news ↓
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Breaking down the DAZN/SURJ announcement
To better understand this deal, let’s take a look at SURJ Sports Investment, the company teaming up with DAZN to launch DAZN MENA.
SURJ was established in 2023 as part of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), with a clear mission: Invest in global sports, create new opportunities, and fuel the growth of the MENA sports industry.
Their strategy focuses on three key areas
Global reach & relevance – SURJ aims to maximize commercial opportunities for its partners by expanding their reach to the largest possible audience.
Commercial potential – They invest in technologies that improve sports experiences, drive engagement, and unlock new revenue streams.
MENA localization – A major goal is to accelerate the regional sports ecosystem, increasing participation and creating new pathways for talent, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030.
DAZN isn’t SURJ first major sports deal. They already invested in Professional Fighters League (PFL) in 2023, leading to the launch of PFL MENA, a regional MMA league featuring local fighters in a four-event season.
The expansion continues in 2025, with eight PFL regional events planned across Africa and the Middle East, along with two global events in Saudi Arabia.
By 2026, SURJ and PFL plan to create six international regional MMA leagues, branding it the "Champions League of MMA."
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Before SURJ, PIF had already invested in the sports world, particularly in football.
In recent years, the investment fund took control of four major Saudi Pro League teams: Al Ahli, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, and Al Nassr. This helped with high-profile transfers, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema. In 2021, PIF also acquired Premier League club Newcastle United.
Beyond football, PIF owns LIV Golf and is working on a potential merger with the PGA Tour. It has also committed up to $100 million in tennis sponsorships to expand its influence in global sports.
For a closer look at how Saudi Arabia is investing in global & regional sports, check out the SURJ official report:
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What about the DAZN/SURJ deal?
The press release doesn’t disclose financial details, but articles suggest SURJ stake in DAZN is under 10%, valued at around $1 billion.
The press release also doesn’t reveal much about what DAZN MENA will actually look like, other than calling it a broadcasting joint venture.
It mentions that the partnership will “unlock new broadcasting opportunities for Saudi Arabia’s growing sports sector and accelerate fans’ access to live and on-demand sports content.”
But what does that really mean? Honestly, it’s not very clear. So, let’s try to figure out what DAZN MENA could actually be ↓
So what?
If we want to understand the bigger picture behind the DAZN/SURJ deal, let’s break it down, what’s in it for both sides?
DAZN gets fresh capital to continue acquiring global sports rights.
Saudi Arabia gains a stake in a global streaming media platform.
It looks like a win-win on paper.
But where does DAZN MENA fit into Saudi existing sports media ecosystem?
This is where things get tricky.
Saudi Arabia already has a sports broadcaster: Saudi Sports Company (SSC).
SSC holds exclusive rights of the Saudi Pro League in Saudi Arabia and across MENA.
It also covers major international sports like the Brazilian football league, LIV Golf, SailGP, Formula E, Motocross GP, Extreme E, etc.
SSC distributes its content via Shahid, the streaming platform of MBC Group.
On the other hand, DAZN has been expanding in MENA:
The platform is now available in Arabic.
It has secured partnerships with local clubs, including Al Nassr, which has a dedicated DAZN channel for shoulder content.
DAZN now distributes global sports events linked to Riyadh Season, like the recent Six Kings Slam tennis tournament featuring Djokovic, Nadal, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Sinner, and Rune.
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PIF now owns a majority stake in MBC (which controls SSC) and a minority stake in DAZN. That creates a potential conflict: If DAZN MENA starts competing for regional sports rights, it could fragment the market. Fans could struggle to figure out where to watch their favorite leagues and events.
The real test will be how DAZN MENA differentiates itself, and whether it can coexist with SSC and Shahid without creating unnecessary competition.
If the goal is to rival beIN Sports, the multinational network of sports channels owned and operated by beIN MEDIA GROUP, then they will have to work together rather than compete for the same rights.
That’s all for today, DAZN MENA: The Next Big Sports Entertainment Platform? If you found this breakdown valuable, spread the word and share it with your network!
Wishing everyone a fantastic week! See you online next Monday. In the meantime, enjoy season 3 of The White Lotus on OSN+. A sharp social satire following the exploits of various employees and guests at an exclusive resort over the span of one highly transformative week.
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