New Delhi: Bundesliga International has added one of India’s leading digital sports hubs to its squad of content partners. From January 2023, Khel Now, part of the Anglian Omega Group, will work in collaboration with Bundesliga International, subsidiary of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, to deliver the best of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 to fans throughout India and the Indian sub-continent.
Khel Now is a media engagement platform that connects fans with their favourite sports and leagues from around the world. Utilising the DFL’s extensive media portals, Khel Now will highlight the biggest talking points from Germany’s top two divisions every week, from the most exciting and unpredictable matchdays, to the latest emerging young talent taking the league by storm. Tailored to its dedicated audience across India, Khel Now’s localised content will sit alongside a range of articles, videos, pictures and social media posts in multiple languages, including both English and Hindi.
As well as providing new and existing Bundesliga fans in India with all the latest action, Khel Now will also profile the passion of the fans throughout the country. Fan-focused preview shows and exclusive “watch-alongs” for the biggest matches of the season will feature a number of special guests, and will be broadcast on Khel Now’s YouTube channel, which is rapidly approaching the 1 million subscriber mark.
Launched in July 2016, Khel Now has worked to assist in the development and growth of football and other emerging sports by connecting the various stakeholders as a one-stop destination. In the past years, Khel Now has grown exponentially to become India’s destination of choice for all things football.
Bundesliga International CMO Peer Naubert said: “Indian sports fans are known for their enthusiasm and commitment, and in this regard, there are a lot of parallels with Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 fans. It is clear that they feel the connection too, with live audience figures growing by more than double over the past two seasons.
“Collaborating with Khel Now will take Bundesliga coverage in India to the next level, bringing fans the stories that matter to them in a locally relevant way. I am excited to see how we can fuel the passion for German football and continue supporting the growth of the sport within India.”
Khel Now CEO & Co-Founder Ashish Negi said: “For the past six years, Khel Now has strived to deliver the best in sports news, views and analysis to our burgeoning readership. Football, as the world’s most popular sport, is a key part of our strategy and today, in line with our continued endeavour to be the leading innovators in digital sports news media in India, I’m delighted to announce that we are working together with the Bundesliga in an exciting new partnership.
“The German top-flight is one of the most popular leagues in the world given the global superstars and plethora of young talent that call it home. With this alliance, we promise to bring fans in India and beyond closer to their favourite teams and players than ever before.
“Ties between German and Indian football have been enriched and strengthened over the years through the shared values between our two countries. From the privilege of hosting the farewell game of the legendary Oliver Kahn to the continually blossoming relationships between our clubs, the beautiful game is taking giant strides through the mutual exchange of our shared knowledge and experiences. Khel Now is proud and excited to be part of this journey by joining hands with the Bundesliga as one of their select global media partners.”
Relations between German and Indian football continue to strengthen. In September 2022, the DFL signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Super League (ISL), while Bundesliga teams have established partnerships with ISL clubs, including Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig with Hyderabad FC and FC Goa respectively.
The Bundesliga collaborates with almost 20 different content partners globally, working in partnership to create innovative new ways of telling the story of German football. Each content partner is able to curate the narrative that works for their audience, ensuring not only a reach of 2 billion unique users per season, but also engagement rates close to 500m across the partners’ social and digital sites.
Bundesliga International is a full subsidiary of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and responsible for connecting and inspiring football fans around the globe. Its main focus is to drive internationalisation by igniting passion for the Bundesliga with contagious content. Bundesliga International is marketing the audiovisual, sponsorship (partnership) rights, brand and digital licenses through a global network of 80 partners.
The Bundesliga is the premier professional association football league in Germany. Established in 1963, the Bundesliga is comprised of 18 teams which operate on a system of promotion and relegation with the Bundesliga 2.
Khel Now is a platform that promotes and nurtures the new-age sports ecosystem. Khel Now promotes and recognises emerging sports & athletes with our exclusive hyperlocal and vernacular content.
Follow all the latest Bundesliga action on Bundesliga.com and via the official Facebook, TikTok and Instagram channels.