Paramount Skydance is set to become the main home of the UEFA Champions League in the UK – and a key broadcaster in Germany – from 2027, after winning the auction for most live rights in a deal reported to be worth in excess of £1 billion over four seasons.
From the 2027–28 to 2030–31 cycles, Paramount+ would carry every Champions League match live in the UK apart from the first-pick Tuesday night game, which has been sold separately. Amazon Prime Video has retained those top Tuesday fixtures in the UK and other major European markets, while Sky Sports has secured all UEFA Europa League and Conference League matches in the UK, ending TNT Sports’ decade-long run as the main home of European club competitions. “This is an important moment for our service and fantastic news for our Prime members in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy, securing the biggest games in European football through to 2031,” said Alex Green, MD Prime Video Sport, International. “The new four-year deal gives us long-term certainty and allows us to innovate even more deeply for fans, such as the introduction of Prime Vision this season.”
Reports suggest Paramount has also been selected as preferred bidder for a substantial Champions League package in Germany under UEFA’s new pan-European tender structure. That process, run for the first time by Relevent Football Partners rather than Team Marketing, has delivered more than a 20% uplift in rights income for UEFA’s top five markets, with annual club competition media revenues expected to rise from around €2 billion to €2.5 billion in the next cycle.
The move extends Paramount’s existing Champions League strategy. In the United States, CBS and Paramount+ already hold English-language rights to UEFA club competitions in a six-year deal through 2030, valued at more than $1.5 billion, while CBS Sports recently picked up US rights to the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The UK and German acquisitions would turn Paramount+ into a primary destination for European club football across several major territories, alongside its entertainment portfolio.
For UK viewers, the new deals further fragment live football coverage. From 2027, fans wanting full access to men’s domestic and European club football will need subscriptions spanning Sky Sports (Premier League, EFL, Europa League, Conference League), TNT Sports (Premier League, FA Cup), Paramount+ (most Champions League games) and Amazon Prime Video (first-pick Tuesday Champions League ties), with free-to-air exposure limited to highlights and occasional matches.
