Canadian Soccer Business scores with the Bundesliga, giving Canadians a front-row seat to Alphonso Davies on OneSoccer

Canadian Soccer Business scores with the Bundesliga, giving Canadians a front-row seat to Alphonso Davies on OneSoccer

Toronto, ON – November 12, 2025 – Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) has acquired the non-exclusive media rights to the Bundesliga, bringing one of the world’s top soccer leagues — and its Canadian superstar, Alphonso Davies — closer to home than ever before. 

For Canadian fans, it’s a chance to get closer to the Bundesliga, the top-flight of men’s soccer in Germany, and to follow Davies’ journey back to full fitness and form with FC Bayern Munich, as one of Canada’s biggest sports stars continues to shine on the global stage. Every Bayern match will be available live and on demand, alongside in-depth coverage of the rest of the Bundesliga action and the stars who make it one of the game’s most exciting leagues.

The rights will be licensed to OneSoccer, which becomes Bundesliga’s Official Broadcasting Partner in Canada for Bundesliga, the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, and the Relegation Play-Offs. Live coverage will kick off on Friday, Nov. 21.

“This partnership with the Bundesliga goes beyond broadcast rights — it’s about connecting Canadians to the global game,” said James Johnson, Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Business. “The Bundesliga stands among the world’s best, and Alphonso Davies embodies what’s possible for Canadian players on that stage. By teaming up with OneSoccer, we’re giving fans the chance to follow his journey every week and experience world-class soccer more closely than ever before. Canadian fans deserve access to the world’s game, and this partnership is another step toward making top-tier soccer more visible and available across the country.”

Davies, who was born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled civil war in Liberia, grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, and has become one of the most recognizable faces in world soccer. The captain of Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team has won multiple Bundesliga titles and became the first Canadian International to win the UEFA Champions League, all while helping lead Canada back to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Awarded the 2020 Northern Star Award as the country’s top athlete, he blazed a trail for Canadians on the global stage and inspired even more back home. 

The partnership marks another milestone in CSB’s vision to build an integrated soccer hub that connects fans to the global game through soccer, media and business while strengthening the sport’s presence at home. As outlined in its Vision framework released last month, CSB is focused on elevating media and storytelling to make soccer part of everyday life in Canada, transforming global rights into shared national moments of pride.

“We couldn’t be more excited to expand the Bundesliga’s reach in Canada with Canadian Soccer Business and OneSoccer,” said Robin Austermann, Bundesliga Americas Executive Vice President. “The Bundesliga is home to home grown talents and international stars alike, and fans can continue to watch their favorite players week in and week out, especially with the excitement building ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to the continent.”

With Canada set to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the timing couldn’t be better. Through this partnership, Canadian fans now have a new way to experience the world’s game, and to celebrate their own stars who are shaping football’s future.

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About Canadian Soccer Business
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central to the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships and media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the Men’s and Women’s National Team and the TELUS Canadian Championship, along with all rights associated with the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and League1 Canada.

For more information, please contact:

Laura Armstrong
Senior Director, Communications
Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Business
laura.armstrong@canpl.ca

Katrin Ivanov
Coordinator, Communications
Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Business
katrin.ivanov@canpl.ca

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FRANCAIS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Canadian Soccer Business marque un grand coup avec la Bundesliga et offre aux Canadiens une place au premier rang pour suivre Alphonso Davies sur OneSoccer

Toronto (Ontario), le 12 novembre 2025 — Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) a acquis les droits médiatiques non exclusifs de la Bundesliga, amenant l’une des meilleures ligues de soccer au monde — et sa superstar canadienne, Alphonso Davies — plus près des partisans que jamais.

Pour les fans d’ici, c’est une occasion unique de se rapprocher de la Bundesliga, la première division du soccer masculin en Allemagne, et de suivre le retour en force de Davies avec le FC Bayern Munich. Chaque match du Bayern sera offert en direct et sur demande, accompagné d’une couverture approfondie du reste de l’action en Bundesliga et des vedettes qui font de cette ligue l’une des plus excitantes au monde.

Les droits seront concédés à OneSoccer, qui devient le diffuseur officiel de la Bundesliga au Canada pour la Bundesliga, la Supercoupe Franz-Beckenbauer et les matchs de barrage de relégation. Les diffusions en direct débuteront le vendredi 21 novembre.

« Ce partenariat avec la Bundesliga dépasse largement le cadre des droits de diffusion — il s’agit de rapprocher les Canadiens du soccer mondial », a déclaré James Johnson, chef de la direction du groupe Canadian Soccer Business. « La Bundesliga fait partie des meilleures ligues au monde, et Alphonso Davies incarne tout ce qui est possible pour les joueurs canadiens sur cette scène. En collaborant avec OneSoccer, on permet aux partisans de suivre son parcours chaque semaine et de vivre du soccer de calibre mondial comme jamais auparavant. Les fans d’ici méritent d’avoir accès au sport le plus populaire de la planète, et ce partenariat est une étape de plus vers une meilleure visibilité du soccer partout au pays. »

Davies, né dans un camp de réfugiés au Ghana après que ses parents eurent fui la guerre civile au Libéria, grandit à Edmonton, en Alberta. Il est devenu l’un des visages les plus reconnus du soccer mondial. Capitaine de l’équipe masculine du Canada, il a remporté plusieurs titres de Bundesliga et est devenu le premier international canadien à soulever le trophée de la Ligue des champions de l’UEFA — tout en aidant le Canada à se qualifier pour la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA pour la première fois en 36 ans. Lauréat du prix Northern Star en 2020, remis à l’athlète de l’année au pays, il a tracé la voie pour les joueurs canadiens sur la scène internationale et inspiré encore plus de jeunes ici même.

Ce partenariat marque une nouvelle étape dans la vision de CSB de bâtir un écosystème intégré qui relie les fans au soccer mondial grâce au sport, aux médias et aux affaires, tout en renforçant la place du soccer ici au pays. Tel qu’exposé dans son cadre de vision présenté le mois dernier, CSB souhaite élever le récit médiatique pour faire du soccer une partie intégrante de la vie quotidienne au Canada, transformant des droits internationaux en moments de fierté nationale partagés.

« Nous sommes ravis d’étendre la portée de la Bundesliga au Canada en nous associant à Canadian Soccer Business et OneSoccer », a affirmé Robin Austermann, vice-président exécutif de Bundesliga Americas. « La Bundesliga est un terrain de développement pour les talents locaux et un point de rencontre pour des stars internationales, et les partisans pourront continuer de suivre leurs joueurs préférés semaine après semaine, surtout avec l’enthousiasme grandissant à l’approche de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026™ qui arrive en Amérique du Nord. »

Alors que le Canada s’apprête à co-organiser la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026™, le moment ne pourrait pas être mieux choisi. Grâce à ce partenariat, les fans canadiens disposent maintenant d’une nouvelle façon de vivre le plus beau sport du monde — et de célébrer leurs propres étoiles qui façonnent l’avenir du football.

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À propos de Canadian Soccer Business

Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) représente un ensemble d’actifs nationaux de premier plan qui sont au cœur du soccer au Canada. Cela comprend la représentation de tous les partenariats d’entreprise et les droits médiatiques (diffusion et distribution) liés aux principaux actifs de Canada Soccer, notamment les équipes nationales masculine et féminine et le Championnat canadien TELUS, ainsi que tous les droits associés à la Première Ligue canadienne (CPL) et à la Ligue1 Canada.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez contacter :

Laura Armstrong

Directrice principale des communications

Première Ligue canadienne et Canadian Soccer Business

laura.armstrong@canpl.ca

Katrin Ivanov

Coordonnatrice des communications

Première Ligue canadienne et Canadian Soccer Business 

katrin.ivanov@canpl.ca

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Costa Smyrniotis

Costa Smyrniotis is a senior Canadian soccer executive with more than 20 years of experience across the professional, developmental, and commercial sides of the game in Canada and internationally. His career spans league governance, club operations, player representation, and academy leadership, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the soccer ecosystem.

As Executive Vice President of the Canadian Premier League, Smyrniotis oversees sporting and business operations across Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment’s league portfolio, including the CPL and Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, the umbrella organization for Canada’s national pro-am competitions.

Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, Soccer, helping professionalize the league’s on-field product and strengthen its reputation in the global transfer market, increasing player movement and international recognition.

Prior to his league role, Smyrniotis spent five years as Director of Football and Business at Forge FC, building one of Canada’s most successful professional clubs. Earlier, he co-founded Sigma FC, built a leading player agency, and held senior business roles with multinational organizations.

Laura Armstrong

Laura Armstrong is Vice President, Communications & Business Integration at Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment, where she leads strategic communications, public relations, and key stakeholder engagement across the company’s corporate functions, leagues, and media assets.

In this role, Laura works closely with executive leadership to align organizational strategy and priorities, supporting the delivery of the company’s long-term vision through coordinated planning and execution across teams.

Prior to joining CSME, Laura spent nearly a decade as a journalist with the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily newspaper, where she led the paper’s soccer coverage beginning in 2015. A leading voice in Canadian soccer — particularly in the women’s game — she covered major milestones including the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Toronto FC’s treble-winning 2017 season, and Canada’s men’s national team qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Laura regularly appeared across national and international broadcast platforms including OneSoccer, Sportsnet, CBC, CTV, the BBC and more

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Dylan Hewko

Dylan Hewko is a finance executive with extensive experience in professional sports, specializing in financial strategy, governance, and organizational oversight. He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Finance, supporting the continued growth and financial stewardship of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.

In this corporate leadership role, Dylan is responsible for financial planning, reporting, and governance, as well as people operations and organizational policies, supporting the company’s overall business objectives across its leagues and properties.

Prior to joining the Canadian Premier League in 2021, Dylan spent three years with New York City FC as Controller and held finance roles with the Toronto Blue Jays. He began his professional career at Deloitte Canada in the Assurance & Advisory practice, building a strong foundation in corporate accounting and financial management.

A graduate of Queen’s University, Dylan holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Canada) and Certified Public Accountant (USA). He has long been engaged in the intersection of sport and business, including through leadership roles with the Queen’s Sports Industry Conference.

Marni Dicker

Marni Dicker is a senior executive and governance leader with deep experience in corporate law, infrastructure development, and organizational leadership across complex public- and private-sector environments.

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Shaun Guest

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James Johnson 

James Johnson is a globally recognized sport and entertainment executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. He was appointed Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) and Commissioner of the Canadian Premier League in July 2025 to accelerate the growth and transformation of Canadian soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

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