Value represents an increase of 20% over the current cycle; UC3 has already secured US$3.8 billion in new contracts
The global appeal of the Champions League is expected to take annual media rights revenue from the men’s club competitions beyond US$5 billion from 2027. The amount represents a 20% increase on current figures. The information is from .
Commercial and media rights for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League are managed by , a joint venture between UEFA and European Football Clubs. Relevent Football Partners acts as an agent for the entity.
UC3 announced, this Thursday (April 30, 2026), new agreements for 19 countries and territories in the Americas and Europe. In November, the company had already sold the rights for the 2027-2031 cycle in the 5 largest European markets: Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
The new contracts total US$910 million, a value almost 40% higher than the 2024-2027 cycle in direct comparison. Paramount+ secured exclusive rights to the 3 competitions in Canada. The platform will also broadcast half of the Champions League games in Central America, Mexico and much of South America.
The North American conglomerate Paramount Skydance controls Paramount+. The company, led by David Ellison, is awaiting regulatory approval to buy Warner Bros Discovery for US$111 billion. The group became UC3’s main media partner.
The Canal+ pay TV service also expanded investments and secured exclusive rights in Belgium and packages in Austria and Poland. The giant Disney acquired rights to Disney+ streaming in Denmark and Sweden. In Mexico and South America, the games will be split between Disney+ and the ESPN network.
The DAZN platform had more matches in Austria, Portugal and Switzerland. Already the Viaplay retained rights in Denmark, Finland and Norway. With the new businesses, UC3 has secured more than US$3.8 billion annually from 2027. Auctions will also be held for Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
According to the The AthleticUC3 reached 75% of the target for the cycle and the US$5 billion objective is close. Currently, the 3 competitions generate around US$4.2 billion per year. More than 90% of this total is distributed among participating clubs.
The success of the bids validates the creation of UC3 and the decision to replace the TEAM Marketing agency with Relevant in 2024. The change generated surprise in the sector at the time, but the partnership also increased sponsorship values: Anheuser-Busch InBev replaced the Heineken ea PepsiCo renewed the contract.
In a note, UC3 stated: “By operating in several markets simultaneously, UC3 and the agency Relevent Football Partners created a competitive bidding process that attracted strong interest from several media organizations”.
According to the entity, the global appeal and commercial strength of the men’s tournaments have been reinforced. Companies such as Canal+, DAZN, Disney+, ESPN, Paramount+, Sky and Viaplay were selected in several territories. “The result validates the new commercial strategy adopted by UC3”, says the statement.
