The US has long been the focus in FAST, with its healthy advertising market and more opportunities in the Free TV space. However, for Samsung TV Plus, this is clearly not their only priority. As the market leader in the smart TV (and smartphone) market, they are embedded across hundreds of millions of devices worldwide. This means they already have a well established and loyal customer base that extends far beyond US borders. As a result, their ambitions haven’t been solely focused on the US. In addition to their recent innovative local partnerships and expansion into the creator economy and sports sectors, they have become one of the primary destinations for free ad-supported content globally.
According to FAST Tracker, insight into Samsung TV Plus channel launches across the five major European markets between April 2025 and April 2026 reveals the scale of this expansion as well as where efforts have been focused. In that twelve-month window, Entertainment and Scripted TV were the two highest-volume growth categories across the region, with the UK alone adding 18 entertainment channels (13 Single IP). Germany led on Scripted TV launches, adding 15 channels in the category, a figure that underscores the priorities of German audiences for localised scripted content on FAST.
Sports Ambitions
Sports is emerging as a meaningful strategic pillar. Across all five markets, Sports ranked consistently in the top four categories for new channel launches, with Italy (9 launches), Spain (7), and Germany (6) showing the strongest activity. This is notable territory for a FAST platform, as sports content drives both viewing and premium advertising rates. Partnerships with local sports broadcasters like Sky, major sports teams such as Inter Milan and Barcelona FC, and even major sports leagues like the Bundesliga, where they secured the broadcast rights in the UK to live matches and highlights, showcase Samsung’s commitment to sports distribution. This signals an intent to compete for a more engaged and valuable viewer.
Creator led channels
Alongside traditional broadcaster partnerships, Samsung TV Plus has been building out a creator-led channel tier. Popular and well-known YouTube creators, such as Dude Perfect, Mark Rober, and Dhar Mann, all have their own dedicated channels on Samsung across Europe. They have also just premiered their first original scripted series, “Unlikely Romances”, with Dhar Mann Studios - another ambitious signal that they are not just relying on pre-loved, library content, but are actively developing new content for the free ad-supporting space.
This is also consistent with a broader industry trend, with the growing viability of creator-driven content merging and aligning more with the traditional sector. Two of the biggest recent Studio films releases, “Obsession” and “Backrooms”, were directed by social media creators.
Partnering with Local Broadcasters
Perhaps the most strategically significant dimension of Samsung's European activity is its deepening partnerships with local incumbent broadcasters. In the UK, Sky has brought multiple channels to the platform - Sky News, Sky Sports Classics, Sky Sports Stories, Sky Mix, and Sky Arts, while U (formerly UKTV) has contributed four distinct branded channels. In France, the RMC portfolio accounts for six channels, alongside TV5 Monde's three channels and BFM TV. In Italy, the partnership roster includes LA7, Rai News 24, Discovery, DMAX, and Nove. Germany's lineup features ARD and ZDF-affiliated channels alongside Spiegel TV and DF1, while Spain has brought RTVE's full channel family, including La1 and La2, 24h, RTVE Cine, RTVE Cocina and La Moderna.
These are not minor content deals. They represent national broadcasters choosing Samsung TV Plus as a strategic distribution partner, which is a vote of confidence that reflects the platform's growing audience reach and its ability to deliver incremental, ad-funded revenue at a point when traditional broadcast economics remain under pressure.
For content owners and rights holders evaluating their FAST distribution strategies, Samsung TV Plus outside the US is no longer an afterthought. It is, increasingly, the first conversation worth having.
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