Economic Defense Administrative Council (CADE) decided to deny Disney the possibility of keeping Fox Sports in Brazil and ordered it to sell it. The entity believes that coexistence between Fox Sports and ESPN would create a monopoly in the country.

With Fox Sports sale by Disney, any other media group would be able to acquire it with its main contents in Brazil. The only exception will be for Globo, to avoid it to have a large Brazilian market part.

In addition, ESPN is not allowed to take Fox Sports exclusive Libertadores Cup broadcasting rights. The company owned them since 2012, and until last year for pay TV, and also broadcasted the competition through Sportv. Recently the agreement was renewed until the end of 2022 season, but championship’s TV broadcasting future is unclear is no media group buys Fox Sports in Brazil.

Fox purchase by Disney took place at the end of 2017, in an operation that surpassed USD 50 billion. With CADE’s decision, according to Brazilian company UOL, part of Fox Sports Brazil’s structure and professionals will be removed to ESPN, which belongs to Disney since 1995.