Belgian public broadcaster VRT and commercial media group DPG Media are reportedly considering additional steps against sports streaming service DAZN after the company announced plans to exclusively stream the Belgian Cup final within its own app, despite existing legal obligations to make match footage available to other broadcasters.
The development comes amid ongoing tensions between DAZN and Belgian football authorities over broadcasting rights and payment disputes. According to verified reports from Belgian media outlets, DAZN informed rights holders that it intends to show the Belgian Cup final – officially known as the Croky Cup – solely through its subscription-based streaming platform, preventing traditional television broadcasters from airing the match live or in delayed formats.
This move has drawn sharp criticism from Belgian Media Minister Cieltje Van Achter, who previously emphasized that when DAZN fails to exercise its broadcasting rights, other ombudsmen gain the legal right to produce and use match footage in news contexts. Speaking in the Flemish Parliament in December 2025, Van Achter stated: “When DAZN does not exercise its rights, other broadcasters have the right to make their own images. That is an important guarantee for football fans and for our news supply.”
The minister’s comments followed DAZN’s announcement in late November 2025 that it could no longer fulfill its contract for capturing Belgian professional football matches due to failed negotiations with telecom operators over rebroadcasting rights. Although DAZN continued to produce and distribute matches after that announcement, payments to the Pro League – Belgian football’s governing body – stalled completely.
In response to the non-payment issue, the Belgian Arbitration and Mediation Centre CEPANI ruled on December 31, 2025 that DAZN must continue broadcasting Belgian First and Second Division football matches until the finish of the 2025-2026 season and pay all outstanding fees owed to the Pro League. The ruling confirmed that DAZN had unilaterally withdrawn from its contractual obligations in late November, claiming it acted “in accordance with Belgian law,” but the arbitration body rejected this justification.
CEPANI’s decision also required DAZN to resume negotiations with telecom operators to establish distribution rights agreements and comply with all previously agreed anti-piracy measures and geo-blocking provisions. Pro League CEO Lorin Parys welcomed the ruling, stating it was a victory for fans, clubs and Belgian football as a whole.
Despite the arbitration ruling covering league matches, the Belgian Cup final operates under separate rights arrangements, which appears to be the legal basis for DAZN’s current position. However, broadcasters argue that the spirit of the legal framework – designed to ensure fans can access major football moments through accessible channels – is being undermined by the app-only approach.
Both VRT and DPG Media have reportedly held discussions about potential countermeasures, though neither broadcaster has publicly detailed specific actions under consideration. Earlier in December 2025, Van Achter confirmed that VRT and DPG Media had already made contact regarding contingency plans should DAZN completely withdraw from broadcasting duties, noting they could use match fragments in news programming even if live transmission remained prohibited.
The situation echoes broader frustrations expressed by Belgian politicians and fan groups who describe viewers as “de grootste dupe” – the biggest victim – in what they characterize as commercial disputes prioritizing corporate interests over public access to national sporting events. Similar sentiments were voiced in January 2026 when multiple Flemish and Belgian media outlets reported political backlash over the Cup final’s anticipated exclusion from free-to-air television.
As of April 2026, the Belgian Cup final date and participating teams have not been officially confirmed in the available verified sources. The Pro League typically schedules the showpiece match for late April or early May, with recent editions featuring clubs such as Union Saint-Gilloise and RSC Anderlecht – two of Belgium’s most prominent teams.
For now, Belgian football fans face uncertainty about how they will be able to watch the season’s culminating match, with legal access potentially limited to subscribers of DAZN’s standalone app unless broadcasters successfully invoke their secondary rights under existing media legislation.
The coming weeks will likely determine whether VRT and DPG Media pursue formal complaints, seek intervention from media regulators, or prepare to exercise their limited rights to show match highlights in news broadcasts – a compromise that would allow some coverage while falling short of full match transmission.
Fans seeking updates on the Belgian Cup final broadcast situation are encouraged to monitor official announcements from the Pro League and Belgian media authorities, as any resolution will likely involve coordination between sporting bodies, rights holders, and government regulators tasked with ensuring equitable access to major sporting events.
