DAZN explores partnership with DirecTV Latin America as deal talks continue

DAZN is exploring a partnership with DirecTV Latin America that would give the streaming group something money alone cannot buy: local reach. The talks center on a commercial deal in the region, but people familiar with the discussions say acquisition scenarios and a purchase of digital assets have also been floated, underscoring DAZN’s push to widen its footprint beyond its core direct-to-consumer model.

That matters because DirecTV Latin America, now controlled by Grupo Werthein, reaches about 40 million viewers across 11 countries and has a deep presence in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay. For a sports streamer trying to turn rights into recurring revenue, that kind of distribution is more than a nice-to-have. It is a way to get closer to households that still rely on pay-TV relationships, bundled offers and familiar local brands.

The timing also reflects how sports media assets are valued. Any full takeover is seen as more likely after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when the business would be easier to price. That tournament will be the biggest in history, with 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada, and FIFA has sold broadcast rights across more than 170 territories. Premium events of that scale can quickly change the economics for owners of rights, platforms and distribution networks.

DAZN has already shown it is willing to spend for scale. In December 2024, it agreed to acquire Foxtel Group from News Corp and Telstra at an enterprise value of US$2.2 billion. In January 2025, Leonard Blavatnik added another $827 million to DAZN, lifting his total investment to more than $6.7 billion. DAZN has said revenue more than doubled from 2021 to 2024 to US$3.4 billion and projected US$6 billion in 2025, numbers that help explain why the company keeps looking for assets that can broaden its reach and stabilize its sports-rights strategy.

DirecTV Latin America itself carries the imprint of a previous ownership shift. AT&T sold the unit to Grupo Werthein in 2021 and took a $4.6 billion impairment charge as it exited the business. The Vrio brand, which houses those operations, remains a regional player in entertainment, information and connectivity, with a footprint that still makes it strategically attractive to a streamer trying to balance digital ambition with local market reality.