The Tour de France is set for a return to terrestrial television just one year after ITV bid an emotional farewell to the famous bike race. Two years ago, Warner Bros. Discovery landed exclusive rights to broadcast the Tour from 2026 onwards. It left fans fuming that one of the biggest sporting events in the world was going behind a paywall. ITV had been the long-time broadcaster of Tour de France coverage, but ahead of the 2026 edition, the competition now has a new home on free-to-air TV.
Channel 5 will show a highlights package every night of the race, having struck a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. It will begin from the Grand Depart in Barcelona on July 4, and run for the remainder of the race. They will also have highlights for the Vuelta a Espana, which takes place later in the year, and will show the Giro d’Italia highlights from 2027 onwards.
Commenting on the partnership, Reemah Sakaan, President of Channel 5 said: "The Grand Tours are the most prestigious cycling events in the world, watched and adored by millions, and we are delighted that 5 will be their new free-to-air home in the UK. Our daily highlights show for the Tour de France will be available to everyone at 7pm each evening this July and we’ll also have daily highlights through both the Vuelta a Espana and the Giro d’Italia for the next three years, plus next year we’ll have live coverage of the Tour de France’s historic return to the UK. The Tour de France kicks off an incredible summer of sport on 5, adding to the rapidly expanding range of premium sport we have for people to watch, including the best of the action from the Commonwealth Games this summer. This new deal with TNT Sports reflects our long-term commitment to bringing brilliant coverage of the world’s best sporting events to millions of viewers and providing access to premium audiences for advertisers."
Meanwhile, Scott Young, EVP, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe said: "This partnership with 5 represents a major step forward in expanding the reach of elite cycling across the UK. As the Home of Cycling, we are committed to bringing fans closer to the biggest races in the world across both men's and women's cycling, and this agreement ensures even more viewers can experience the drama, emotion and storytelling that define Grand Tour racing. By combining a strong free-to-air highlights offering with our comprehensive live coverage, we are delivering unprecedented access to the sport across every platform. Cycling is one of the most compelling sports in the world, featuring extraordinary athletes and unforgettable moments, and it's important that those stories are shared with the widest possible audience."
Following the Grand Depart, the Tour de France will run for four weeks, right up until the end of July. Next year, the race will begin in the United Kingdom, with three stages taking place on British soil. It starts with a 184km jaunt from Edinburgh to Carlisle, the 223km from Keswick to Liverpool and finally 223km from Welshpool to Cardiff.
