SOCCER STREAMING
Disney+ has secured exclusive live streaming rights to the prestigious UEFA Women’s Champions League soccer tournament across Europe. This five-year agreement covers seasons from 2025/26 to 2029/30, demonstrating Disney’s commitment to women’s sports.
As a result of this deal, Disney+ will become the only platform for all 75 matches in the competition. Coverage is set to begin in October, coinciding with the tournament’s new 18-team League phase format . This means that all matches will be streamed live at no additional cost for subscribers, extending through to the final match at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo in 2026.
ESPN will oversee production for Disney+, ensuring viewers receive high-quality broadcasts complete with multi-language commentary and pre- and post-game programming. With over four decades of experience in sports broadcasting, ESPN is well-equipped to enhance the viewing experience for fans. The addition of UEFA competitions, including the Europa League and Conference League, to Disney+ in countries like Denmark and Sweden underscores the platform’s expanding portfolio of soccer content.
This announcement builds upon Disney’s existing collaboration with UEFA through the Playmakers program . Since its launch in 2020, this initiative has introduced more than 132,000 girls aged 5-8 to soccer at 6,300 centers across 46 countries . Recently extended through 2027, the program employs nearly 8,000 coaches , emphasizing Disney’s dedication to promoting women in sports.
“The UEFA Women’s Champions League showcases the pinnacle of football performance, dedication, and passion,” stated Karl Holmes, general manager of Disney+ EMEA. “Bringing this incredible tournament to Disney+ subscribers reflects our commitment to offering an extensive range of dynamic entertainment options.”
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While making these moves in the sports domain, Disney+ is also venturing into scripted content, having recently commenced production on “Delusion” (working title). This live-action adaptation is based on the popular Naver webtoon and will be available exclusively on Disney+ globally and on Hulu in the U.S.
“Delusion” revolves around the character of Song Jeonghwa, a vampire grappling with the profound loss of a love from decades past. Living in an empty existence, her world transforms when Iho, an enigmatic painter with a mysterious backstory, arrives and ignites emotions she thought she had long buried.
The series stars Suzy from “Start-Up” as the heartbroken vampire Song Jeonghwa, with Kim Seonho from “The Tyrant” portraying Iho. Han Jaerim, known for “The Face Reader,” is directing, ensuring that the project captures the depth of the characters’ journey.
“Delusion” joins Disney+’s growing collection of Korean content, which already includes titles like “Low Life” featuring Ryu Seungryong, “Tempest” starring Jun Gianna and Gang Dongwon, and “Made In Korea” with popular actors Hyun Bin and Jung Woosung.
DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR
In the realm of documentary filmmaking, the U.K.’s Sky News has appointed Siobhan Sinnerton as the creative director of its new long-form documentary production unit called Full Story Films. Sinnerton brings a wealth of experience from HiddenLight Productions, where she developed and executive produced critically acclaimed documentaries, including the Emmy-winning “In Her Hands” for Netflix.
With this new role, Sinnerton will report directly to David Rhodes, the Sky News Group executive chair. She will be responsible for shaping the editorial and creative strategy for Full Story Films, a unit designed to complement Sky Documentaries’ broader commissioning strategy, focusing on news-adjacent films for both streaming and television.
Before joining Sky News, Sinnerton was a commissioning editor for news and current affairs at Channel 4, where she was instrumental in commissioning notable projects like the BAFTA-winning “Myanmar’s Killing Fields” and the Oscar-nominated “For Sama.” Her track record in overseeing premium human-interest and investigative films speaks to her ability to deliver gripping stories that resonate with audiences.
Under Sinnerton’s leadership, Full Story Films aims to forge partnerships with top documentary talent while leveraging Sky News’ extensive archives and journalism resources. She emphasized her ambition to create “powerful, emotional films that really connect with an audience” by collaborating with some of the best directors, producers, and editors in the UK and Ireland.