Abu Dhabi Sports Channel has secured the rights to Major League Soccer (MLS) in 25 countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/. The Emirati broadcaster has signed a four-year deal to replace BeIN Sports in carrying coverage of the US league throughout the region. It will immediately begin to air two regular-season games a week, as well as the play-offs, the MLS Cup final and the MLS All-Star Game.

The agreement grants Abu Dhabi Sports Channel exclusive live and free-to-air rights, as well as live streaming over digital platforms. IMG represented MLS in negotiations as the league's global media rights agent.

"Our new partnership with Abu Dhabi Media Company is another affirmation of the growing interest in MLS around the globe, as both a league and media property," said MLS Business Ventures president and managing director Gary Stevenson.

"We are excited to be partnered with a market leader in sports media and look forward to providing fans in the Middle East and North Africa with access to the high quality programming MLS has to offer."