UEFA just scored big off the pitch. According to reporting by Bloomberg, the governing body of European football locked in a 40% increase on broadcasting rights for its men’s tournaments — including the Champions League — across 19 territories for the 2027–2031 cycle.
The deal spans Europe and the Americas, excluding the United States.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed publicly. But sources tell Bloomberg this deal and others in the pipeline will push UEFA’s annual broadcast and commercial rights revenue past 5 billion.
Walt Disney Co. and Paramount Skydance Corp. both entered the bidding, which in turn drove pricing up. Both wanted more sports content. Their presence created competition — and competition creates value.
European football’s U.S. audience keeps growing. The Champions League sits at the center of that surge. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich draw eyeballs globally.
The tournament also expanded its format in 2024/25, adding a qualifying stage and more games.
Canal+ and DAZN landed preferred bidder status. The packages also cover the UEFA Europa League and Conference League. Relevent Football Partners managed the rights deal, designing packages to attract both traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms.
This builds on UEFA’s momentum from 2024, when rights in top markets — UK, Italy, France, Germany, and Spain — climbed roughly 20%.
The U.S. packages renew in 2030 with the FIFA World Cup headed to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, surely to draw more interest.
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