TNT Sports Loses champions League Rights to Paramount+ in Landmark Deal
LONDON – TNT Sports has lost the television broadcast rights to the Champions League, with Paramount+ set to become the primary home for Europe’s top club competition in the UK from 2027 to 2031. UEFA confirmed it’s preferred bidders for the next cycle of commercial rights, awarding the American-owned streaming platform the majority of Champions League games.
The shift marks a important change in the UK football broadcasting landscape. TNT Sports, formerly BT Sport, has aired the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League since the 2015-16 season, securing the rights in 2013 after a competitive bidding process against Sky Sports and ITV.
While Amazon Prime Video will retain the first-pick of Tuesday’s Champions League games, Sky Sports will become the exclusive broadcaster of matches from the Europa League and Conference League. TNT Sports continues to hold rights to select Premier League and FA Cup games through the end of 2029.
Paramount+ already holds the leading broadcast position for Champions League games in the United States, with its CBS Golazo show – featuring Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, and Kate Scott – gaining popularity and generating ample social media engagement.
The change will require football fans to potentially purchase an additional subscription to view all Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League matches, adding to existing costs that have already drawn criticism from supporters.
Preferred bidders for the UK market are as follows:
* Paramount+ (Champions League Wednesday first pick package and all remaining Champions League matches and highlights including the Champions League Final)
* Prime Video (Champions League Tuesday first pick package)
* BBC (Champions league Wednesday highlights on a co-exclusive basis)
* Sky (all Europa League and Conference League rights)
