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TikTok 'signs deal' with Saudi football's First Division

TikTok enters Saudi market for the first time with football First Division: reports
Sports
1 min read
20 January, 2022
The social media company signed a partnership agreement with the Saudi First Division to display clips of goals and matches on its platform, Saudi media reported.
TikTok has said it wants to reach out to football audiences and to display prime football-related content [NurPhoto via Getty]

Social media platform TikTok has entered the Saudi market for the first time through a partnership with Saudi football's First Division, local media reported on Wednesday.

The company signed a partnership agreement with the Saudi First Division League - also known as the Yelo League, based on the name of its main sponsor - to display clips of goals and matches on its platform.

TikTok has not released any official statement on the deal, but the move is in line with the video-sharing platform's strategy to reach out to football audiences and to display prime football-related content.

On 6 January, the company unveiled a new partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to broadcast highlights and events relating to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), currently taking place in Cameroon. 

"[The partnership with CAF] comes as TikTok cements its position as the perfect place for football fandom and culture across both men's and women's games," the company said in a statement.

TikTok last year became the first digital entertainment platform to sponsor a major international tournament for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) when it sponsored the Euro 2020 tournament.