FA Cup Delivered via IP for the First Time

Why It Matters

The hybrid IP‑satellite approach gives rights holders flexible, cost‑efficient distribution, accelerating the industry’s shift toward cloud‑native broadcasting.

Key Takeaways

• First FA Cup distribution via IP
• Pitch International adds cloud and satellite options
• Quortex Link integrates with Connect Live SRT platform
• Pay‑as‑you‑go cloud reduces costs, improves flexibility
• Broadcasters receive tailored formats per territory

Pulse Analysis

The FA Cup’s move to IP distribution marks a watershed moment for live sports broadcasting, reflecting a broader industry migration from legacy satellite pipelines to flexible, internet‑based delivery. Broadcasters have long grappled with the high costs and limited scalability of satellite, especially for events spanning multiple territories. By leveraging cloud infrastructure, rights holders can now reach audiences with reduced latency and on‑demand scalability, aligning with the expectations of a digitally native viewership that demands seamless, high‑definition experiences across devices.

At the technical core of this shift are Synamedia’s Quortex Link and Globecast’s Connect Live SRT platform. Quortex Link, a software‑defined playout and packaging engine, operates as a SaaS solution on AWS, enabling pay‑as‑you‑go pricing and rapid configuration of video formats and frame rates. Integrated with Connect Live’s Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) technology, the combined stack ensures resilient, low‑latency transport over public IP networks while preserving broadcast‑grade quality. This architecture allows Pitch International to customize each feed for regional broadcasters, delivering the exact specifications required without the need for separate satellite uplinks.

The partnership signals a strategic pivot for rights holders seeking both security and agility. By offering a dual‑delivery model, Pitch International mitigates risk—satellite serves as a fallback while the cloud provides cost efficiency and rapid scalability for peak demand periods. The strong early uptake suggests other sports properties will follow, prompting satellite operators to evolve service offerings and cloud providers to enhance media‑specific capabilities. Ultimately, this hybrid approach could become the new standard, reshaping revenue models and accelerating the adoption of cloud‑native workflows across the global sports media ecosystem.

FA Cup delivered via IP for the first time

Combining Globecast's Connect Live SRT platform with Synamedia's SaaS Quortex Live provides rights holders with a best‑of‑both‑worlds delivery approach · By Matthew Corrigan · February 12, 2026

Pitch International has partnered with Globecast and Synamedia to deliver cloud‑based FA Cup distribution.

The partnership enables Pitch, which owns broadcast rights for the tournament across western Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, to provide broadcasters with IP‑based or satellite reception of FA Cup matches.

Integrating Synamedia’s software‑based Quortex Link with Globecast’s Connect Live SRT platform enables Pitch to offer scalable, high‑quality, low‑latency delivery across a range of territories. Supporting a busy schedule of matches, Quortex Link also allows Globecast to tailor individual feeds to the correct video format and frame rate for each broadcaster.

Pitch is able to offer its users a choice of approach by pairing Quortex Link’s pay‑as‑you‑go cloud distribution with traditional satellite services, aiming to ensure security, redundancy, reach and predictable performance.

“The FA Cup has a magical quality, with incredible drama, such as non‑league Macclesfield’s victory last month. Our new partnership with Synamedia and Globecast gives broadcast rights holders more choice with the option to receive FA Cup match streams over AWS cloud using Quortex Link or to continue with satellite. Interest in switching to the cloud‑based stream has already exceeded our expectations.”

— Alex Mehrer, head of live production and distribution at Pitch International