Champions League streaming deal to feature opening game for title holders

GENEVA (AP):

THE CHAMPIONS League title holders will play a showcase opening home game as part of new commercial contracts for UEFA club competitions from the 2027-28 season that include a global streaming deal to drive annual revenue above 5 billion euros (US$5.8 billion).

It’s one innovation targeted in a six-year rights sales deal signed with United States-based agency Relevent through to 2033 by UEFA and the European Football Clubs group, the joint-venture vehicle known as UC3 said yesterday.

Relevent is also seeking a global streaming service — which could be Netflix, Apple TV+ or Amazon Prime — to buy a premium package or first choice of game each week the Champions League is played.

That should be a 17-game, season-long deal, including the final on a Saturday to “serve new consumers and viewership trends and expand the competition’s ever-increasing reach”, UC3 and Relevent said in a joint statement.

The deadline for those offers is November 18.

The first Tuesday game in September 2027 is set to be the champions hosting the only game that evening in the 36-team competition. The rest of the opening-week games will be split across Wednesday and Thursday.

“The reigning champions will get their title defence under way in a standalone fixture in front of their home fans,” the statement said.

The tenders offer launched yesterday also includes four-year deals for the five main media markets in Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Relevent also promises “new approaches to sponsorship” likely drawing in a wider range of buyers to game broadcasts.

The 800-member EFC group, UEFA and Relevent hope to top at least 5 billion euros (US$5.8 billion) in total revenue from broadcast, sponsor and licensing deals for European club competitions each season from 2027-28.

Revenue is at least 4.4 billion euros for each of the three seasons through to 2027, which pays almost 2.5 billion euros into the prize money fund shared by the 36 Champions League teams.

The second-tier Europa League pays 565 million euros (US$653 million) in total prize money this season, and the third-tier Conference League is worth 285 million euros.

Relevent, which was co-founded by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, is both UEFA’s key commercial partner for the Champions League and the promoter of a planned Villarreal vs Barcelona game in La Liga on December 20.

The proposed game was called “regrettable” last week by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, but the European football body said it will not oppose La Liga’s plan as an exception.

Netflix’s first major move into football broadcast rights was buying US rights from FIFA for the Women’s World Cup in 2027 in Brazil and 2031, which is expected to be in the US, likely co-hosting with Mexico.