Disney+ Sports Expands to Europe and APAC Through ESPN
Filmogaz.com reports that ESPN has relaunched in 53 European countries and territories and in selected Asia-Pacific markets. The move expands the channel’s availability to about 100 markets worldwide.
Platform integration and offering
Disney has added a dedicated ESPN section on Disney+. It will host live events, original shows, studio programming and documentaries.
The rollout leverages Disney+ Sports content to deepen sports coverage on the platform. Programming mixes live competition and archive material.
Regional rollout
In Europe, the launch builds on Disney+’s existing sports rights. The service will vary by market at launch.
Selected APAC territories include Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Those markets will initially receive a curated selection of English-language ESPN programming.
Key sports and rights
The line-up will expand to thousands of live events over the next year. Rights include NBA and NHL from the 2026-27 season.
- College sports such as NCAA championships and March Madness.
- College basketball, college football, the College Football Playoff and bowl games.
- Events like the Little League World Series and the Savannah Bananas.
- Documentaries from ESPN’s 30 for 30 catalogue and studio shows like ESPN FC.
Existing European rights carried forward
Disney pointed to sports already on Disney+ in Europe. These include the UEFA Women’s Champions League and LALIGA in the UK and Ireland.
Other rights cited are the Copa del Rey, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and the DFB Pokal in Nordic markets.
Esports and APAC-specific events
The APAC offer will also include KeSPA events. Confirmed items include Esports Championships Asia Jinju 2026 and the 2026 LoL KeSPA Cup.
Corporate strategy and history
Disney+ president Alisa Bowen said the expansion reflects sport’s growing role on the platform. ESPN executives described the launch as the next phase of fan engagement on Disney+.
ESPN previously operated networks such as ESPN America and ESPN Classic, which closed in 2013. Since 2018, former Fox Sports operations have used the ESPN brand in several regions.
ESPN has maintained a UK presence through partnerships with BT Sport. ESPN content is already available on Disney+ in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand.
Scale and audience
ESPN operates about 50 linear networks across 130 countries and territories. The brand reaches an average of 517 million unique fans per month.
The initial package will vary by country. Subscribers can expect the offering to grow substantially over the coming year.
