SportyTV has announced a landmark partnership with the Saudi Pro League and Super Eagles legend William Troost-Ekong to launch a pioneering player-led live streaming initiative that could reshape how football is consumed by fans.
The collaboration will debut on 31 December, when SportyTV streams the Roshn Saudi League fixture between Al Kholood and Al Hilal at 4.30p.m. local time.
The match is significant not just for its sporting stakes but for its broadcasting innovation: it will mark the first time an active professional footballer live-streams a competitive match in which he is directly involved.
Troost-Ekong, a former captain of Nigeria’s national team and current captain and central defender for Al Kholood, will play a central role in the broadcast.
The match will air simultaneously on SportyTV’s linear television channel, its official YouTube platform, and Troost-Ekong’s personal YouTube channel, blending traditional broadcast coverage with player-driven digital storytelling.
In a further break from convention, Troost-Ekong will also go live ahead of kickoff on both platforms to share his matchday routine, preparation and mindset, offering supporters a rare behind-the-scenes look at life inside a top-flight dressing room on game day.
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“This is about bringing fans closer to the beauty of football,” 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.”
Troost-Ekong, who recently retired from international football after earning 83 caps for Nigeria, has been a leading voice on player empowerment and storytelling in the digital age.
His involvement in this initiative comes as part of a broader shift across global football, where athletes are increasingly recognised not only as performers but also as content creators with direct relationships to fans.
Sporty Group, the parent company of SportyTV, described the project as a strategic step toward the future of sports media.
“This partnership reflects a deliberate shift in how sports media is evolving,” said Elias Gallego, Vice President of Business Development, Marketing, and Media at Sporty Group. “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 currently holds the exclusive free-to-air broadcast rights to the Roshn Saudi League, King’s Cup and Saudi Super Cup from the 2025/26 to the 2028/29 seasons.
According to the broadcaster, the collaboration with Troost-Ekong represents a move toward more open, fan-centric and creator-led distribution models within the framework of official league rights.
By combining licensed broadcast access with direct player participation, SportyTV and the Saudi Pro League are testing a new approach to live football coverage—one shaped by the growing influence of the creator economy and changing audience habits, particularly among younger, digital-first fans.
The Al Kholood versus Al Hilal match will be streamed live on December on SportyTV’s YouTube channel and William Troost-Ekong’s personal YouTube channel for audiences in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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The Saudi Pro League, widely regarded as Asia’s highest-ranked domestic league by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has undergone rapid transformation in recent years.
In early 2023, the league launched a sweeping reform strategy aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, aimed at elevating the competition to global elite status through improved governance, youth development, international talent recruitment and enhanced fan experiences.