Bundesliga expands UK YouTube coverage with Jamie Vardy and Mark Goldbridge August 28, 2026 18.29 Europe/London By Jörn Krieger The Bundesliga is expanding its creator-led coverage in the UK and Ireland for the 2026-27 season, adding former Premier League striker Jamie Vardy to its YouTube offering while renewing its partnership with football creator Mark Goldbridge. Vardy’s YouTube channel, Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party , will stream seven Bundesliga Friday-night matches during the season as live watch-alongs. The partnership launches on Friday, 28 August 2026, with the opening fixture between FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart. Further fixtures will be announced during the season. The live show is being produced by Banijay UK label Workerbee as part of a wider partnership with Banijay Entertainment. Vardy and other guests will provide reaction, insight and discussion around the matches. “The fans don’t just want to watch football anymore, they want to experience it with the people they already know and trust,” said Rick Murray, CEO of Workerbee. “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.” The Bundesliga is also renewing its agreement with Goldbridge’s That’s Football channel, which will stream 15 Friday-night matches via YouTube. Coverage starts on 11 September with 1. FC Union Berlin v FC Schalke 04, followed by FC Bayern Munich v 1. FC Union Berlin on 18 September. Goldbridge’s channel has more than 1.5 million subscribers. During the 2025-26 season, 54% of viewers watching Bundesliga matches through the YouTube watch-alongs were aged between 13 and 34, according to Bundesliga Media. “It’s fantastic to be partnering up with the Bundesliga once again for the new season,” said Goldbridge. “The reaction from our community last year was incredible – the fans couldn’t get enough of the atmosphere, the top-tier football, and live watch-alongs.” The Bundesliga began regularly making live matches available through creator-led broadcasts in the UK and Ireland in 2025. The approach is part of a wider strategy combining conventional television rights with streaming, free-to-air and digital distribution. The core of the Bundesliga’s UK and Ireland distribution remains its established broadcast partners. Sky Sports will show all Saturday top matches, with the games kicking off at 17:30 GMT. Amazon Prime Video will offer all Sunday matches through a pay-per-view TVOD model. BBC will carry Friday-night matches through BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport’s digital platforms, extending the league’s free-to-air presence beyond conventional linear television. Meanwhile, Samsung TV Plus will provide Friday-night Bundesliga coverage through its 24/7 Bundesliga FAST channel, giving viewers another free, ad-supported route to live Bundesliga content. The creator-led offering adds two further outlets. That’s Football will stream 15 Friday-night matches on YouTube, while Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party will show seven Friday-night fixtures. The resulting distribution mix gives the Bundesliga a presence across pay-TV, free-to-air broadcasting, subscription streaming, transactional video, FAST and creator platforms. “Our approach is as diverse as our fans,” said Peer Naubert, Chief Commercial Officer of Bundesliga Media. “Football audiences are changing, and there is no single way in which people want to experience the Bundesliga.” “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,” added Naubert. Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Related Filed Under: Newsline , Platforms , Streaming Tagged With: Banijay , Banijay Entertainment , Bundesliga , Jamie Vardy , Mark Goldbridge , Peer Naubert , Rick Murray , Workerbee , YouTube Edited: 28 August 2026 18:29
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.broadbandtvnews.com