Cristiano Ronaldo is now part of the business behind LiveMode's push into Portugal. The company has rolled out LiveModeTV using the CazéTV model of free football on YouTube, ad funding and brand partnerships, while Ronaldo has become a shareholder in LiveMode Cayman, the international arm that negotiates broadcasting rights outside Brazil.
The Portugal launch model
A Bola said LiveModeTV arrived in Portugal in 2026, coinciding with the start of the World Cup, and followed the formula that worked in Brazil. That meant free broadcasting on YouTube, financed by advertising and sponsorship, with former players and digital content creators involved in the operation.
The launch has already come with some weight behind it. LiveModeTV secured rights in Portugal to show all of the national team's matches and the best match of each day of the tournament. It also added a DAZN partnership for one Premier League match per round and Champions League matches from 17:45.
Why Ronaldo matters to the business
Ronaldo's backing is a commercial signal, even if the company has not disclosed an investment amount or a percentage stake. A Bola reported that LiveMode announced him as a shareholder in LiveMode Cayman, the holding company responsible for the group's rights business outside Brazil, including CazéTV and the new Portuguese service.
The scale of the platform helps explain why the move carries weight. CazéTV reached around 4.6 million simultaneous viewers for the opening match of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on YouTube. It later passed 23 million subscribers and sold eleven sponsorship slots just for the 2026 World Cup, with estimated revenue of two billion reais.
The platform was built on a model that looked cheap beside traditional broadcast rights but proved it could draw a huge audience. LiveMode got the Qatar World Cup digital rights in Brazil for around three million dollars, while Globo paid FIFA ninety million dollars a year for the complete package.
A Bola's line on the shift is hard to ignore: "The business, today, is bigger than the personality that made it famous." Ronaldo still brings reach, but the platform now has the rights, sponsorship and distribution to travel beyond him.
LiveMode says Spain, Italy, France and Germany are next on its European list, but Portugal is the market where the model is being tested right now, with World Cup coverage, Premier League games and Champions League matches already in place.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
