American Football League Europe Names SPORT1 as Free-to-Air Partner for DACH Region
The American Football League Europe (AFLE) is proud to announce a broadcast partnership with SPORT1, Germany’s leading free-to-air sports broadcaster, making SPORT1 the official free-to-air partner of the AFLE for the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) throughout the league’s inaugural 2026 season.
With a focus on German-speaking audiences, SPORT1 will broadcast one live game per week throughout the season – free of charge and available across the entire DACH region. Each match will be produced with a ten-camera live setup, setting a new benchmark for broadcast quality in European football.
A Key Step for the AFLE
The partnership marks a major milestone in the league’s distribution strategy, securing premium free-to-air exposure in one of the most American football-passionate markets in Europe. With SPORT1 on board, the AFLE will reach fans where it matters most: in their living rooms, week after week.
SPORT1 has been a driving force in establishing American football in the German-speaking region, with more than a decade of dedicated American football coverage and a long-standing commitment to bringing US sports culture to DACH audiences.
A Partnership Built for Fans
“Partnering with SPORT1 is a defining moment for the AFLE. Our games will be on free-to-air television, accessible to every football fan across the DACH region, from the very first kickoff of our inaugural season all the way to the AFLE Gold Bowl on September 6, 2026. We have created this league for the fans, and now we are bringing it into every living room. Free TV. Ten cameras. The highest production standard European football has ever seen. We did not build the AFLE to be a niche product. We built it to be the future of football in Europe, said Moritz Heisler, Managing and COO of the AFLE.”
“The AFLE is a highly attractive addition to our live sports portfolio and brings a new dimension of international football to SPORT1,” said Andreas Gerhardt, Chief Content & Distribution Officer of SPORT1. “The league combines dynamism, international scope and a long-term strategic approach — all of which align very well with our own direction. We see significant potential in the European football market and are delighted to support the AFLE as a media partner from the very first season.”
Week 1 will be opened by the Vienna Vikings, who will host Berlin Thunder on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at 5:00 PM (CEST), broadcast live on SPORT1. Coverage starts at 4:45 PM (CEST).
Beyond the inaugural season, the collaboration lays the groundwork for the AFLE’s long-term ambition: to make American football a permanent fixture of the European sports calendar and to grow the game across borders.
About SPORT1
#mittendrin with SPORT1: The leading multi-channel sports and entertaining platform in German-speaking countries stands for high-quality live sports and entertainment formats, proven expertise and in-depth, entertaining reporting. Sport1 GmbH bundles all TV, digital, audio and social media activities under the umbrella brand SPORT1: The portfolio of the media company, which is based in Ismaning near Munich, includes the free-TV channel SPORT1, which focuses on entertainment and sport and is offered on various platforms in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In addition, SPORT1.de, one of the leading digital sports platforms in Germany, and the SPORT1 app, one of the most successful German sports apps, offer current content as well as an extensive live stream and on-demand offering of sports and competitions as well as sports and entertainment formats in the video sector. SPORT1 also has its own SPORT1 YouTube channel. Since 2025, Sport1 GmbH has also been offering the entertainment formats broadcast on free-to-air TV on the new digital entertainment platform show1.tv in livestream and on-demand.
