Canal+ & beIN SPORTS Score French Champions League Rights

Pay-TV broadcasters Canal+ and beIN SPORTS have each secured a package of UEFA Champions League broadcasting rights in France for the 2021-2024 three-season cycle.

beIN SPORTS has won “Lot B” of the auction, which comprises the exclusive rights to 104 of the 138 live UEFA Champions League games, including many guaranteed French games, together with highlights to all the matches. The broadcaster said it secured the lion’s share of the rights “with a shrewd and balanced financial bid.” The deal with UEFA brings the Champions League back to beIN SPORTS FRANCE, with the broadcaster having previously been the home of the competition between 2012-2018.

Yousef Al-Obaidly, president of beIN SPORTS FRANCE, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have brought the UEFA Champions League back home to beIN SPORTS FRANCE. But this is also an important statement to the crowded broadcast market—beIN offers the most comprehensive and complete catalog of sports content to consumers in France, and by some margin. But from a business point of view, we are determined to make economically sensible and proportionate bids in the interests of our long term financial security and our subscribers. And from a consumer perspective, we present the rights that we have with the very best talent and pundits in the industry, delivered to our consumers how they want it, when they want it—including through our OTT platform beIN CONNECT. We are immensely proud to be the leading sports broadcaster in France.”

For three seasons starting in 2021, Canal+ will broadcast live the two top games on each Champions League matchday, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Canal+ will also broadcast the post-game show with highlights of all the games of the day. In addition, Canal+ will broadcast the Champions League Final as well as the Super Cup between the winners of the Champions League and the Europa League.

Maxime Saada, CEO of Canal+ Group, said: “We are very happy to be able to once again showcase on our channels the most prestigious European football competition and offer our subscribers the two best games of each match day. This competition will benefit from the widely-recognized editorial know-how of our sports team and bolster Canal+’s already incomparable sport offer.”

Meanwhile, TF1 Group landed the Champions League final for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024—gaining the exclusive free-to-air rights for three finals.