UEFA Eyes Streaming-First Tender as Champions League Rights Could Move to Netflix

UEFA is reportedly set to overhaul its broadcasting tender process, a move that could see the Champions League shown on Netflix. The change is aimed at broadening access for streaming platforms and modernizing how rights are awarded, potentially changing how fans around the world watch Europe’s top club competition.

The plan, described by Bloomberg, would allow broadcasters and streaming services to bid for multiple markets at once rather than selling rights market by market. It could also lead to a scenario in which a single broadcaster holds exclusive rights to show a game globally.

UEFA is weighing the option of longer-term deals for rights, moving away from the roughly three-year terms that have governed much of the market for more than two decades after pressure from the European Commission to preserve competition. The shift mirrors a broader push to modernize distribution and could align with the interests of major streaming platforms willing to invest in premier live sports.

The move follows a US rights deal struck in 2022, when UEFA agreed a $1.5 billion pact with Paramount to carry Champions League content in the United States through 2030. That agreement is cited in discussions about longer-term contracts and global strategic partnerships that could accompany a streaming-first bidding framework.

Tenders for rights from 2027 onward are expected to be issued in the coming weeks, according to the reports. The timing indicates UEFA plans to formalize any changes ahead of the next cycle of global negotiations and market entries by potential bidders.

Netflix has shown interest in adding major sporting events to its lineup, seeking to broaden its sports portfolio as it already pursues high-profile deals in other leagues and leagues’ packages. The streaming giant has aired one-off sporting events but has not yet committed to a season-long package, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

In Europe, the rights landscape already features a mix of streamers and traditional broadcasters. In the United Kingdom, TNT Sports holds the main live rights, while Amazon has rights to select matches. The evolving tender approach could alter how and when those rights are allocated across markets, potentially consolidating rights under single global or multi-market arrangements.

UEFA’s financial outlook for its men’s club competitions remains robust. The combined revenue from the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and the Super Cup is expected to run at least €4.4 billion per season through 2027, reinforcing the stakes in any market-wide revamp of broadcasting rights.

Last season’s expansion of the Champions League group stage, which added more group and knockout games, coincided with an uptick in broadcasting revenue in the top six markets. UEFA officials cited an 18 percent rise in top-market broadcasting revenue as a key early signal that a broader distribution strategy could continue to pay dividends while increasing fans’ access to matches across platforms.

As the tender process evolves, stakeholders will look for balance among revenue generation, competitive integrity, and consumer access. While Netflix’s potential entry would be a landmark development, UEFA has stressed that any changes will proceed with careful consideration of legal, commercial, and broadcast-market dynamics, and with attention to how fans actually watch Champions League football around the world.