Champions League broadcasting rights are set for a major shake up in 2027 as TNT Sports will no longer air the competition, marking the end of an era for one of the UK’s most familiar football broadcasters. Reports indicate that Paramount Plus has won the bidding contest to take control of coverage across Europe, securing a long term deal that changes how fans access midweek football.
TNT Sports, previously known as BT Sport, began showing Champions League matches in 2015 after signing a 897 million pound agreement in 2013 that took the rights from Sky Sports. TNT has since televised the Europa League and later added the UEFA Conference League, building a long presence in European football broadcasting.
The network’s control started to weaken in 2022 when Amazon Prime secured rights to one match per week, breaking TNT’s exclusive package. The latest development means the broadcaster will lose all Champions League content from 2027. Reports from The Telegraph say Paramount Plus paid a premium to secure the contract and outbid TNT Sports. Current rights are valued at nearly 3 billion pounds per season, highlighting the scale of the agreement.
Paramount owns CBS Sports, which broadcasts the competition in the United States with a studio lineup featuring Kate Abdo, Micah Richards, Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher. The shift to Paramount Plus is expected to add another subscription cost for fans already paying for services such as Sky Sports, TNT, DAZN and Amazon. Platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus also expressed interest, especially after Netflix attracted large audiences through its Jake Paul boxing events.
Sources state that Paramount plans to offer some matches free to air through Channel 5, which is part of the network, as a strategy to expand audience reach. The company has recently secured rights to UFC events and continues to invest in live sports content.
TNT Sports will continue covering the Premier League until 2029 and signed a four year FA Cup deal that ensures every third round fixture outside the 3pm blackout will be shown live.
