TNT Sports has lost the rights to broadcast the Champions League, with Paramount+ set to take over coverage of Europe’s premier club competition from 2027 through 2031.
UEFA has announced its selected bidders for the upcoming cycle of commercial rights, and the American streaming service has secured the majority of Champions League matches in the UK.
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Amazon Prime Video will maintain exclusive rights to the top Tuesday Champions League matches, while Sky Sports will become the sole broadcaster for Europa League and Conference League fixtures.
TNT Sports has held the broadcasting rights for the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League since the 2015-16 season, having first secured them in 2013 after competing against Sky Sports and ITV. They will retain rights to some Premier League and FA Cup matches until the end of 2029.
TNT Sports has shown the Champions League for the past decade (Reuters)
In the United States, Paramount+ has already established itself as the leading broadcaster for Champions League matches, with the CBS Golazo show featuring Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, and Kate Scott gaining substantial popularity and social media traction.
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This transition means that football enthusiasts in the UK will need to subscribe to yet another service to watch all Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League games, adding extra costs that fans have expressed concerns about regarding the overall expense of following top competitions.
Selected bidders for the UK market
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Paramount+ (UCL Wednesday first pick package and all remaining UCL matches and highlights, including the UCL Final)
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Prime Video (UCL Tuesday first pick package)
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BBC (UCL Wednesday highlights on a co-exclusive basis)
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Sky (all UEL and UECL rights)