SportyTV Partners with Saudi Pro League and William Troost-Ekong to Pioneer Player-Led Streaming Initiative

portyTV has partnered with the Saudi Pro League and William Troost-Ekong, former captain of Nigeria’s national team and current captain and defender for Al Kholood Club, to deliver a first-of-its-kind live football experience that reimagines how fans access the game.

As part of the partnership, SportyTV will stream the Roshn Saudi League fixture between Al Kholood and Al Hilal on December 31 at 17:30 GMT, marking a monumental shift in global football broadcasting.

For the first time, an active footballer will live-stream a match in which he is directly involved, offering fans unprecedented access to the action.

The match will air simultaneously on SportyTV’s linear channel, its official YouTube channel, and William Troost-Ekong’s personal YouTube channel, blending official broadcast distribution with player-led storytelling. Ahead of kickoff, Troost-Ekong will also go live on both platforms to share his matchday preparation, giving fans rare insight into the routines and mindset of a top-flight professional on game day.

“This is about bringing fans closer to the beauty of football,” William Troost-Ekong said. “They don’t usually get to see how players think and prepare on matchday. Streaming this match with SportyTV is a way to open that door and let supporters experience the game from a much more personal perspective.”

“This partnership reflects a deliberate shift in how sports media is evolving,” Elias Gallego, VP of Business Development, Marketing, and Media at Sporty Group, said. “The future of sports and entertainment sits at the intersection of broadcast, creators, and community. By working directly with players like William, we’re exploring new models that recognise athletes as creators and fans as active participants, not passive viewers.”

SportyTV holds the exclusive free-to-air broadcast rights to the Roshn Saudi League, King’s Cup, and Saudi Super Cup from the 2025/26 through 2028/29 seasons, and this initiative represents a strategic move toward more open, creator-led, and fan-centric distribution models.

By combining official rights with direct player participation, SportyTV and Troost-Ekong are testing a new playbook for modern sports media, one that reflects the growing influence of the creator economy and its role in shaping the future of live sports, entertainment, and fan engagement.

The Al Kholood vs Al Hilal stream will go live on December 31 at 17:30 GMT on SportyTV’s YouTube channel and William Troost-Ekong’s personal YouTube channel for the audiences in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

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