The Spanish National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has issued a report recommending that La Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LNFP) revise the conditions for the marketing of audiovisual rights for Spain’s First Division football matches starting with the 2027/2028 season.
According to the CNMC, La Liga must strictly adhere to the scope of the joint marketing powers granted under Royal Decree-Law 5/2015, which governs the collective sale of broadcasting rights for professional football in Spain. The authority notes that some conditions in La Liga’s current tender proposal exceed these powers and do not comply with the legal framework.
The report (INF/CNMC/238/25) concerns several packages covering live and exclusive broadcasting rights for residential customers in Spain and Andorra for the 2027/28 to 2031/32 seasons. The CNMC stresses that La Liga should limit its actions to the rights it is legally entitled to market and avoid giving the impression that it owns or freely controls rights not granted by law. It further emphasizes that obligations imposed on bidders should be limited to those strictly necessary for commercialization, ensuring that the tender process remains transparent and competitive.
Additionally, the CNMC warns against structuring the sale in ways that could lead to an excessive concentration of rights in the hands of a single operator, which would undermine competition.
This report is issued under Article 4 of Royal Decree-Law 5/2015, which requires La Liga to seek the CNMC’s prior opinion on the conditions for the commercialization of audiovisual rights in professional football competitions.