In a seismic shift for British football broadcasting, the UEFA Champions League will have a new home in the UK from 2027, with streaming service Paramount+ securing the majority of rights with a record-shattering bid.
The deal, covering the 2027 to 2031 seasons, marks the end of an era for TNT Sports, which has been the primary home of Europe's elite club competition since the 2015-16 season. The move was triggered by Paramount+ presenting the largest offer in a recent auction, with reports from BBC Sport indicating it significantly exceeded the £1 billion arrangement currently in place with TNT.
A New Landscape for European Football on TV
The redistribution of rights creates a fragmented but comprehensive new system for fans. While Paramount+ gains the lion's share of the Champions League, including priority on Wednesday nights and exclusive rights to the final, other broadcasters have carved out significant roles.
Amazon Prime will retain its existing rights to the first pick of Tuesday evening Champions League matches. Meanwhile, in another major development, Sky Sports will become the destination for the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, bringing European football back to the channel for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports' Chief Sports Officer, stated: "I'm proud that we're able to bring European football competitions back to Sky customers. This partnership is made possible by the strength of our business model and brand as the home of sport in the UK."
Financial Fallout and Fan Cost Implications
The news is a substantial blow for TNT Sports, which replaced Sky and ITV in a previous rights shake-up after winning the auction in 2013. While they lose all European club competitions, they retain rights for Premier League and FA Cup games until 2029.
For viewers, the new broadcasting map means that to access all domestic and European football from 2027, they will need multiple subscriptions. The combined monthly cost for Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Amazon Prime, and Paramount+ would be approximately £79.96.
Paramount, the American owner of Paramount+ and CBS Sports, already holds the rights to the Champions League in the United States, where its coverage has been widely praised. The UK move signifies a major expansion of its global sports footprint.
The bidding process was overseen by US firm Relevent, marking the end of UEFA's 30-year relationship with TEAM Marketing. This change comes as the gross revenue of all UEFA's men's competitions currently stands at around £3.84 billion, a figure likely to be impacted by this landmark UK deal.
