Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has secured coverage of the Bundesliga, the top level of German soccer, for the next three years.

The partnership between the two parties, which has lasted more than 15 years, gives access to the league to 315 million households in China. It will see CCTV broadcast two live matches each week, as well as highlights and magazine programmes, and has a promotional value of some US$300,000.

"In Germany they always speak about China as an interesting market," said former national team goalkeeper Olive Kahn. "But if you really want to penetrate it it's not good enough to play a match there, be it Bayern Munich or the national team. It is not that easy."

The league may move occasional kick-off times to ealier in the day, as is done in the English Premier League, to give Asian audiences more convenient viewing times.