Saudi Arabia permanently cancels license of Qatar's beIN Sports

The popular Doha-based sports network had been officially blocked in Saudi Arabia since the 2017 diplomatic row between the two Gulf countries.
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Family members watch Qatar's beIN sports channel at their home in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Jan. 20, 2020. Subscribing to Qatar's beIN Sports, the Arab world's leading sports channel — which has exclusive rights to Spain's LaLiga and other key tournaments — has become extremely difficult for Saudi fans since the kingdom's 2017 boycott of Qatar. Just days after Riyadh and its allies cut ties, it banned the sale and distribution of beIN receivers, and it canceled the channel's license on July 15, 2020. - Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

Saudi Arabia permanently canceled the license of the Qatari sports channel beIN sports Tuesday. The popular network has been officially blocked in Saudi Arabia since the 2017 diplomatic spat between the two countries.

Saudi authorities said beIN sports engaged in “monopolistic practices” by compelling customers to buy non-sports content in bundle deals during the 2016 Champions League soccer tournament. BeIN sports had exclusive broadcasting rights to the popular European event and required the purchases for viewing the games, according to the Saudi outlet Al Arabiya.

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