Fuji TV lands exclusive F1 rights in Japan until 2030

Fuji TV will be the exclusive home of Formula One in Japan for the next five years, ending DAZN’s shared coverage of the series in the country.

Key details:

• Deal runs from 2026 until 2030
• Rights package includes every Grand Prix, Sprint race and practice and qualifying session
• Coverage will air across Fuji TV’s broadcast and digital platforms, including its Next Live Premium network, Nextsmart online channel and FOD streaming service
• Partnership also sees Formula One’s F1 TV Pro and F1 TV Premium streaming service made available in Japan for first time
• Race highlights of up to five rounds in 2026 will air on terrestrial television and F1 TV Pro

Context:

Fuji TV first started broadcasting Formula One in 1987, meaning the renewal will take the relationship into its fifth decade. The broadcaster has promised to expand its coverage over the next five years, including through programmes such as F1 GP News and a five-hour Formula One Season Review, as well as archive content. 

Formula One’s decision to hand exclusivity to Fuji TV means that the series will no longer be broadcast in Japan by subscription streaming service DAZN, which has shared the rights with the commercial broadcaster since 2018. The pair last renewed their deals in 2023. 

The deal comes amid a period of growth for Formula One in Japan, where the series claims its fanbase has increased by 20 per cent since 2022 to 16.8 million. 

Comment:

“We are delighted to continue our relationship with Fuji TV,” said Ian Holmes, Formula One’s chief media rights and broadcasting officer. “They have been with us since Formula One first started racing in Japan and we thank them and are humbled by their commitment over those years.

“F1 is experiencing huge growth globally, reaching new and more diverse audiences and we are pleased to share that growth with them as our long-term partner. We know Fuji TV will continue to innovate and develop how F1 is showcased across Japan and look forward to seeing even more fans being welcomed to the sport.”

Kenji Shimizu, president and chief executive of Fuji TV, added: “As we strive to become a true content company, we have established an F1 Promotion Committee, a cross-organisational initiative that brings together the entire company to further strengthen and expand our F1 offerings.

“We are committed not only to responding to the passion of long-time F1 fans, but also to bringing every moment of F1 to a new generation of viewers who will experience it for the first time.”

Go deeper:

• F1 confirms ‘US$750m’ US broadcast deal with Apple
  
• F1 stays on Sky New Zealand in three-year broadcast rights extension