A streaming giant such as Netflix, Disney or Amazon could buy exclusive first-pick global rights to one Champions League game per round from 2027, with European clubs and Uefa expecting to earn £4.3bn a season in the next television rights sale.
The ‘global first pick’ option will be floated to broadcasters within the upcoming tender for the rights to televise Uefa’s club competitions from 2027 to 2033, according to the Press Association, and may appeal to streaming services with worldwide reach such as Netflix, Disney, DAZN and Amazon.
Sources close to the tender process say the expectation from Uefa and European clubs is to make €5bn (£4.3bn) in media and commercial rights revenue per year in the next cycle – a significant uplift on the £3.3bn per season secured for the current one.
The introduction of a global pick could mean additional subscription costs for armchair viewers as it could potentially split UK rights across even more broadcasters, with TNT Sports and Amazon currently holding the rights.
UC3, a joint venture formed between Uefa and European Football Clubs (EFC), said on Wednesday it was launching the first rights tender for 2027 onwards on 13 October.
It is not clear how far into the competition the ‘global pick’ option might extend at this stage. The deal could not be truly ‘global’ until 2030, with CBS’ six-year deal in the United States running until then, but would cover other territories.
There is also the possibility of one broadcaster buying the rights for all five of Europe’s biggest television markets. It is expected the sale of those rights will go out to tender at the same time for the first time, leaving open the possibility of one broadcaster buying the rights in all those markets.
Sources have also indicated Uefa may look to do deals which stretch beyond three years in European markets for the first time.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin spoke generally about the commercial strength of the European game when he addressed the EFC General Assembly on Wednesday morning.
He said: “Through this joint venture, the game will grow. And with (marketing agency) Relevent at our side, we have the strongest team to make it happen.
“Together we are building something unique, with ambition. To deliver the most engaging football, the most innovative, the most accessible.
“To expand our core revenue streams. To inspire new fans to follow our competitions, to drive engagement with new audiences, especially in an ever-changing media and streaming rights landscape. And to make the most of digital platforms, we’ll bring the game closer than ever to everyone.
“This is how we will strengthen our clubs and keep European football at the very top.”
The next cycle will be the second since Uefa expanded its club competitions, including the introduction of a 36-team league phase in the Champions League.
