Bundesliga Moves to USA Network and Fandango in New U.S. Rights Deal

USA Network and Fandango will carry all Bundesliga matches

Germany’s top-flight soccer league has a new broadcast home in the U.S.

USA Sports acquired exclusive English-language rights to air Bundesliga games through the 2030-2031 season, the company announced. The league’s 300-plus live matches will air on USA Network and stream on Fandango (formerly Fandango at Home) starting in August.

USA Network will carry at least 30 matches featuring the top Bundesliga teams and rivalries. Every other match will stream for free on Fandango.

“The Bundesliga boasts some of the most well-known clubs and players in the world and has an established connection with American soccer fans,” Matt Hong, president of USA Sports, said in a statement. “Our partnership with the Bundesliga represents another significant milestone in the growth of USA Sports as we continue to build a premier destination for live sports and deliver more of the events fans care about most.”

What the new Bundesliga TV deal means for U.S. fans

Before this deal, fans mainly saw Bundesliga games through ESPN+, with select games airing on ESPN, ESPN2, and even ABC. For the few games on ABC, at least, German football lovers could use a digital antenna to watch them for free.

But there’s really no way to access USA Network for free — not for the long term, anyway. Now, fans will absolutely need a paid TV plan for more than two dozen games. The good news: Fandango will stream a ton of games for free.

For Spanish-language fans — or people who just prefer watching football in Spanish — Telemundo signed a three-year deal with the Bundesliga to broadcast games. Telemundo and Universo will air more than 100 games over the air and on cable, and every game will stream live on Peacock.

Fans of Premier League soccer are already accustomed to watching games on USA Network and Telemundo. But Bundesliga fans new to the setup will need a TV plan to watch matches on USA Network, Telemundo, and Universo once the season starts.

Bundesliga looks to build on World Cup viewing momentum

Record numbers of viewers have been tuning in to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Historically, the global tournament has attracted new fans from every age demographic.

It’s likely that trend will continue, and the Bundesliga is clearly banking on that with these new partnerships.

“The 2026 World Cup has highlighted the tremendous growth potential of soccer in the U.S.,” said Robin Austermann, Bundesliga Americas Executive Vice President, in a statement. “We’ve seen that momentum firsthand, with the number of Bundesliga fans in the U.S. growing by 43% over the past five years.

“Our partnership with Versant’s USA Sports marks the next phase of our strategy, combining outstanding distribution with significant growth opportunities by bringing the Bundesliga closer to more fans across the United States than ever before.”

CableTV.com verdict: A big win for U.S. fans, even if they have to pay more

If you’re thinking, “Where do I get USA Network?” after this deal, you’re likely not alone.

USA Network hasn’t been part of NBCUniversal since January. That’s when Versant became an independent company after Comcast spun it off, taking USA Network, Fandango, Golf Channel, and many other NBCU brands with it. That corporate shuffle may make the Bundesliga’s new English-language setup a little harder to follow for fans who still associate USA Network with NBCUniversal.

Fortunately, fans can look to DIRECTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Sling TV to get USA Network. But, like I mentioned earlier, the days of occasional free marquee Bundesliga games on ABC are over.

Be that as it may, more access to a league or sport fans love is never a bad thing. The above TV providers each have some sort of combination of USA Network, Telemundo, and Universo. And with the addition of Fandango, fans can still enjoy plenty of free soccer.

In other words, if you’re in the U.S. and love German soccer (or are more curious after the World Cup), you have so many ways to watch live once the season kicks off on Friday, August 28. That just wasn’t the case before.

Who we are

At CableTV.com, we’re not just entertainment experts — we’re also fans just like you. So while our first priority is reporting the best and most accurate information about TV providers and streaming services, we also love talking about our favorite shows and movies. So you can count on us to share our honest opinions and unbridled enthusiasm. For more on our process, check out our Editorial Policy.