Under the FIFA+, a world-class digital platform created to connect football fans across the globe Fifa will deliver live domestic league games from around the globe. Over 29,000 men’s matches and over 11,000 women’s matches will be streamed on FIFA+ in 2022, totalling over 40,000 matches.
The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) yesterday disclosed that the Gambian leagues will be among the leagues covered in this project . Football House announced that Fifa’s broadcast partners Eleven Sports Media will work with Eye Africa Gambia TV in the project.
”Eye Africa will do the production of filming of the league and send them to Eleven Sports the only group with rights to broadcast it,” GFF president Lamin Kaba Bajo told a media conference yesterday.
He said this project will help give the much-needed exposure to Gambian footballers and their clubs who will now be seen globally by scouts and agents as well as generate revenue for domestic clubs.
Bajo said this development forms part of the transformation policy pursued by his administration since coming into office which among other things now lifted registration fees for clubs as well as increase support to them and league prizes.
He however announced that the deal means that local media groups will no longer be allowed to live stream or cover the Gambian leagues.”But for now, and until the rest of the current season, they can cover it. However from next season only Eleven Sports has the right to show Gambian league matches ,” he said .
Ebou Faye second vice president said the local media should not be worried too much because their local knowledge of the football scene here can be potentially tapped by the Eleven Sports which could generate revenue for them. He said going into the future, Gambians must be prepared and understand that under a professional football league covering or commentating a match attracts payments. “We may not be at that level yet but it will come,” he said.
The GFF Director of Communications, Baboucarr Camara has been appointed focal person for the broadcast deal .
The FIFA+ will provide access to live football matches from every corner of the world, interactive games, news, tournament information, ground-breaking, unrivalled video content delivering truly global storytelling around the men’s and women’s game and much more.
