Sky Sports and ITV have reached an agreement in principle to broadcast select fixtures from the EFL (Carabo) Cup free-to-air.
Its planned for the new deal to start in January 2025, commencing with the EFL Cup semi-finals, running until the end of the 2026/27 season. ITV will jointly broadcast a select number of games that will also be available on Sky Sports.
Each full season, ITV will screen at least nine Carabao Cup matches in total, including: one tie from each of the first four rounds; one additional tie from either the third or fourth round; two quarter-final ties; one semi-final tie and the final
Additionally, ITV will simulcast 10 matches from the EFL Championship each full season, and five matches in the second half of the 2024/25 season, with the option to flex their selection to matches from League One or League Two.
The agreement comes ahead of Sky’s new deal with the EFL that will see over 1,000 matches every season broadcast live. Many of the games will be broadcast via the new Sky Sports+ which comprises multiple live streams, a new dedicated channel and revamped Sky Sports mobile app.
Jonathan Licht, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said: “This momentous upcoming season of over 1,000 matches from the EFL on Sky Sports+ shows our huge ambition and increased dedication to the EFL and its supporters. Working with a free-to-air broadcaster isn’t new for us and many of our partners, as we endeavour to help grow and broaden audiences for sports.”
ITV is also extending its existing EFL highlights deal, beginning at the start of the forthcoming 2024/25 season, by broadcasting 55 highlights programmes per season. These matches and highlights will be shown across ITV1 and ITV4, with simultaneous streaming and on demand viewing available on ITVX.
Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport said: “This deal brings viewers free to air coverage of top level knockout football over the coming years, as well as standout matches from the EFL, adding regular live matches to our highlights shows. We’re looking forward to bringing fans some superb action and insight from this new, fuller EFL package across the next few seasons.”
The EFL matches come as a bonus for ITV which lost out on rights to the FA Cup that went to TNT Sports and BBC Sport.
