UEFA has awarded the majority of Champions League broadcast rights in the UK to Paramount+ starting from the 2027-28 season through 2031, ending TNT Sports' long-standing deal. Amazon Prime Video retains first-pick Tuesday matches, while Sky Sports takes over Europa League and Conference League coverage. The BBC will continue providing highlights until 2031.
UEFA confirmed its preferred bidders for the next cycle of commercial rights for its club competitions, marking a significant shift in UK broadcasting. Paramount+, the American streaming platform, has secured the rights to the Wednesday first-pick package and all remaining Champions League matches, including the final, from 2027 to 2031. This deal replaces TNT Sports, which has held the rights since the 2015-16 season after winning them in 2013.
The new agreement is part of a broader tender process across Europe's five major markets, resulting in a more than 20 percent increase in annual revenue, rising from approximately €2 billion to €2.5 billion. For the UK specifically, the four-year deal is valued at over £1 billion, up from TNT's previous £1 billion over three years, equating to £400 million annually.
Amazon Prime Video will continue broadcasting the top Tuesday Champions League games, a package it has held successfully, reaching over 13 million viewers in its debut UK season with standout fixtures like Manchester City vs Real Madrid. Sky Sports returns to European football by exclusively airing all Europa League and Conference League matches, ending TNT's involvement in those competitions by 2027.
The BBC has extended its highlights rights for the men's Champions League until the end of the 2030-31 season. Highlights will air from 22:00 on Wednesdays on BBC TV, iPlayer, and the Sport website, accompanied by a Match of the Day program on BBC One. "The Champions League is the pinnacle of European club football and we're delighted to be providing a free-to-air option for fans," said Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport.
This fragmentation means UK fans may need subscriptions to four services—Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Paramount+, and Amazon Prime—to watch all Premier League and Champions League games from 2027-28. Current Paramount+ pricing ranges from £4.99 to £10.99 monthly, likely to increase. TNT, facing uncertainty amid potential acquisition talks involving its parent Warner Bros. Discovery, will retain Premier League and FA Cup rights until 2029.
Paramount+ builds on its US success, where CBS coverage featuring Kate Abdo, Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards generated over 3.5 billion social media views in 2023-24. "Sports... drives value, which is people buying subscriptions," noted analyst Paolo Pescatore.
