Prasar Bharati’s WAVES OTT collaborates with German Football Association

India’s public service broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, is expanding its sports portfolio with its new OTT platform, WAVES, the pubcaster has collaborated with German Football Association to stream premium German football matches live and free for India’s mobile-first audience.

In a major milestone for WAVES, the platform will showcase Germany’s premier club cup competition. This marks a significant step forward for WAVES as it continues to expand its live sports offerings, following the success of the HIL and DD Winter Sports Games, which captivated audiences with thrilling winter sports coverage.

Beyond sports, WAVES also offers a diverse collection of classic Indian content in multiple Indian languages, helping take India’s media and entertainment industry to a global audience.

"The DFB-Pokal is a cornerstone of German football, and we're excited to bring these live matches to WAVES for the first time," said Kay Daommholz, Director of Global Media Rights at the German Football Association (DFB). "As the competition advances to the quarterfinals, the energy on the pitch will only intensify. This partnership with WAVES ensures that fans across the region can experience the magic of the tournament firsthand."

Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO of Prasar Bharati, echoed the excitement: "This is a major milestone for WAVES, marking our first live football broadcast. The DFB-Pokal has a rich history, and we’re proud to be the platform showcasing these iconic moments. It’s a clear signal of our commitment to expanding the sports category on WAVES and delivering thrilling live sports experiences to our viewers."

Prasar Bharati's family-friendly OTT platform was launched at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), on November 20. The app ‘Waves- Family Entertainment Ki Nayi Lehar’ is available on Android, iOS, and as a website. Prasar Bharati’s streaming platform offers content in SD, HD, and 4K, initially supporting 10 million concurrent users with scalability to 100 million. The OTT app will also introduce features like integrated gaming for kids and online shopping via the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

Leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) brands Amul and Mondelez are now advertising on Prasar Bharati's over-the-top (OTT) platform, WAVES. Haleon’s oral health brand, Sensodyne, is also targeting consumers in regional languages across multiple states through the public broadcaster’s OTT platform. Within a month of its launch in December, the platform surpassed one million downloads.