Sky Sports will not broadcast next season’s Baller League, the celebrity six-a-side competition backed by the influencer KSI, the actor Idris Elba and former players including Ian Wright and Alan Shearer.
KSI’s Prime FC won last season’s Baller League final at a sold-out O2 Arena in an event broadcast live on Sky. But the Guardian has learned the broadcaster has opted not to renew the contract next season. While Sky was happy with audience numbers, and particularly the level of engagement on social media, sources say the partnership had come to a natural end.
Baller League was launched in Germany in 2024 with backing from the World Cup winners Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski before expanding rapidly. A UK edition took place for the first time in 2025, with the former players Jens Lehmann and Micah Richards and the England Lioness Chloe Kelly all taking on management roles with one of the 12 teams. A US tournament was held for the first time this year.
The creation of Baller League continues a trend of short-form celebrity tournaments which was started by the former Spain international Gerard Piqué, who in 2022 set up the seven-a-side Kings League, which now takes place in eight countries and has a broadcast deal with Dazn.
Felix Starck, chief executive of the Baller League, told the Guardian that it had not sought an extension with Sky as it wants to make its events available free-to-air. As a result, Baller League will focus on its existing distribution with YouTube next season, although it is understood that discussions did take place with Sky’s parent company, Comcast, over a wider investment partnership that will not proceed.
Sky declined to comment.
