Chinese marketing company CSM wins AFC broadcast rights in China

KUALA LUMPUR - China's leading sports marketing company China Sports Media (CSM) has been given broadcasting rights by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the remainder of the 2017-2020 commercial cycle, the Asian football governing body announced on Tuesday.

The contract signed with CSM Chairman Li Yidong allows CSM to cover the AFC competitions, including the AFC Champions League, FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the AFC Asian Cup. The new deal comes after the AFC terminated its contract with China's Le TV, which was signed in August 2015.

The agreement means there will be no interruption in the coverage of this week's AFC Champions League fixtures in China, AFC's elite clubs competition watched by tens of thousands of Chinese football fans, the AFC said.

AFC General Secretary Dato' Windsor John haled CSM's platform. "CSM has a strong reputation in China and its immediate desire to obtain the AFC rights shows how strong our properties are in the Chinese market," he said.

"The AFC's competitions go from strength to strength year on year and this is also reflected in the audience numbers for our broadcasters across the continent," Windsor added.

"We look are forward to working with CSM in the next few years as they are committed to providing the best and most comprehensive coverage of the AFC competitions for the tens of millions of Asian football fans in China," Windsor also remarked.