Paramount's planned $110bn takeover of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), parent company of TNT Sports, has created uncertainty over the broadcasting of the Champions League in the UK. The deal, announced last week, is subject to US regulatory approval due to concerns over market share in the American film industry.
Paramount secured the UK and German Champions League rights in a four-year deal from the 2027-28 season last November. However, its acquisition of WBD, which owns TNT Sports, gives it multiple options for broadcasting the tournament, including keeping games on TNT Sports, moving them to its Paramount+ streaming service, or launching a dedicated sports channel.
TNT Sports currently holds the UK Champions League rights until the end of next season. Its live games are streamed on Discovery+, but WBD is launching a new UK streaming platform, HBO Max, this month, which will become the streaming home of the Champions League under the TNT Sports banner.
Uefa must be consulted over any changes to Champions League broadcasting under the terms of its contracts. The governing body will prioritise ensuring the games reach as wide an audience as possible. Uefa's UK contract with Paramount and Amazon Prime, which retains one live game per match round, was among the first deals agreed for the 2027-31 rights cycle.
