Viaplay and Telia Navigate Content Partnership Challenges in Norway
The relationship between Viaplay Group and Telia, a key content distribution partner in Norway, has faced recurring challenges, impacting access to popular sports and entertainment for Telia customers. Negotiations over content rights and pricing have led to previous disruptions and continue to be a point of contention as of February 2026.
History of Disputes
The partnership between Viaplay and Telia has a history of conflict. In 2022, a prolonged dispute resulted in a two-and-a-half-month blackout of Viaplay’s channels for Telia subscribers. During this period, Telia attempted to compensate viewers with content from other streaming services, including HBO Max and Netflix [Viaplay Group]. A similar, though shorter, conflict occurred with Tele2 in the following year, but was resolved before a complete service interruption.
Current Standoff and Potential Impact
As of late 2025, negotiations between Viaplay and Telia are again strained. The core of the disagreement revolves around the financial terms of distribution and the specific rights included in various packages. If an agreement isn’t reached, Telia customers risk losing access to Viaplay’s linear channels, including TV3 and TV6, as well as the Viaplay streaming service itself [Reddit Norge].
This potential disruption would affect access to key sporting events, including:
- Premier League soccer
- UEFA Champions League soccer
- NHL ice hockey
- FIS Alpine and cross-country skiing
- Formula 1 racing
- Swedish men’s national football team matches
- UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League matches
Viaplay’s Content Offering and Distribution Model
Viaplay distributes its content through both direct subscriptions and partnerships with distributors like Telia. The Viaplay Total package includes a wide range of sports and entertainment, including access to V sport Premier League channels (123-127), V sport+, V sport 1-3 (161-163), V sport Golf (164), and V sport UHD (122) [Telia Norway]. In addition to sports, Viaplay offers a streaming library of films and series accessible through the Viaplay app, which is often pre-installed on Telia TV boxes.
Telia Play and V Premium
Telia offers V Premium, a package that includes Viaplay Film & Serier and access to 11 TV channels, including those dedicated to Premier League coverage. As of March 1, 2026, the price of V Premium is set to increase to 749 NOK per month, with no binding contract [Telia Norway]. Previously, promotional offers were available, such as 399 NOK per month.
The Viaplay App
The Viaplay app provides access to a variety of Scandinavian content, including crime dramas, thrillers, and comedies, as well as a wide selection of movies and documentaries [Apple App Store]. Users can download content for offline viewing and stream on multiple devices.