TNT Sports will no longer broadcast Champions League football from 2027, with Paramount+ reportedly winning a major bidding battle to take over coverage of Europe’s premier club competition.
TNT, formerly BT Sport, has aired Champions League action since 2015 after securing a £897 million deal in 2013 to take the rights from Sky Sports. The broadcaster has also covered the Europa League and, more recently, the UEFA Conference League.
In 2022, TNT lost its exclusive hold on the Champions League when Amazon Prime secured rights to one game per week. From 2027, however, TNT will lose the tournament entirely, with multiple reports confirming Paramount+ has signed a six-year deal.
Sources told The Telegraph that the US-based streaming service was a “knockout” bidder, paying “a very large premium” to beat TNT Sports. The current Champions League rights package is valued at nearly £3 billion per season.
Paramount already owns CBS Sports, which broadcasts the Champions League in the United States with a presenting team including Kate Abdo, Micah Richards, Thierry Henry, and Jamie Carragher.
This move is expected to add another subscription cost for fans, on top of existing services such as Sky Sports, TNT, DAZN, and Amazon. Netflix and Disney+ were reportedly also interested, with Netflix bolstered by its recent sports streaming deals, including Jake Paul fights.
Paramount plans to make selected matches free-to-air on Channel 5, a subsidiary, as part of its strategy to expand its sports portfolio. The company has also recently acquired rights to UFC events as part of its broader investment in sports content.
TNT Sports, meanwhile, will continue to hold Premier League rights until 2029 and recently signed a four-year FA Cup deal, ensuring live coverage of all third-round matches outside the 3pm blackout.
