Bundesliga Media announced on August 28, 2026, that it is expanding its creator-led UK and Ireland broadcast approach for the 2026-27 season. The league has added a YouTube channel led by former Premier League winner Jamie Vardy and renewed its partnership with Mark Goldbridge’s channel, “That’s Football.”
Jamie Vardy Joins Bundesliga Friday Night Broadcasts
For the 2026-27 season, Jamie Vardy will lead live broadcasts on the YouTube channel “Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party,” according to Bundesliga Media. Vardy’s channel will broadcast seven Bundesliga Friday night matches across the UK and Ireland. The partnership opens with the season-opening fixture between FC Bayern München and VfB Stuttgart on Friday, August 28, 2026, with additional matches scheduled throughout the campaign.
The collaboration operates as part of a broader agreement with media and entertainment group Banijay Entertainment. Banijay UK and its label Workerbee will produce the live show featuring Vardy and various guests, delivering live match reaction, insight, and discussion covering German fixtures.
“Fans don’t just want to watch football anymore, they want to experience it with the people they already know and trust,” said Rick Murray, CEO of Workerbee. “Jamie has built an incredible community around the podcast, and thanks to our Bundesliga partnership, we can bring that audience closer to some seriously big games.”
Renewal of Mark Goldbridge and That’s Football Partnership
Bundesliga Media also confirmed the renewal of its agreement with “That’s Football,” hosted by YouTube creator Mark Goldbridge. Goldbridge will stream 15 Friday night Bundesliga matches via live watch-alongs for the 2026-27 season.
Coverage begins with Matchday 3 on September 11, 2026, at 19:30 BST featuring 1. FC Union Berlin against FC Schalke 04, followed by FC Bayern München versus 1. FC Union Berlin on September 18, 2026. The renewal follows the 2025-26 season, during which Goldbridge’s channel drew younger audiences on Friday evenings. According to Bundesliga figures, the channel commands more than 1.5 million subscribers, and 54% of live match viewers for Bundesliga games fell into the 13–34 age demographic.
“It’s fantastic to be partnering up with the Bundesliga once again for the new season,” said Mark Goldbridge. “The reaction from our community last year was incredible—the fans couldn’t get enough of the atmosphere, the top-tier football, and live watch-alongs.”
Strategic Shift in UK and Ireland Media Distribution
The Bundesliga first introduced live matches through creator-led broadcasts in the UK and Ireland in 2025, positioning itself among the first major European football leagues to adopt this distribution model. Alongside these creator-led YouTube streams, traditional outlets such as Sky Sports, BBC, Amazon, and Samsung TV Plus maintain core roles in the league’s UK media strategy.
“Our approach is as diverse as our fans,” said Peer Naubert, Chief Commercial Officer of Bundesliga Media. “The UK and Ireland is a great example of that approach. Last season, our collaboration with YouTube showed the potential of creator-led coverage, particularly in reaching younger audiences.”