RTÉ Wins Exclusive UEFA Champions League Broadcast Rights Until 2031
RTÉ has confirmed it will retain exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League from 2027 through 2031, securing live first pick matches every Wednesday night and the coveted Champions League final. This latest agreement solidifies RTÉ’s position as Ireland’s free-to-air home for Europe’s premier club football competition, a major coup as rights have increasingly moved behind paywalls elsewhere.
The package also grants RTÉ rights to broadcast the UEFA Super Cup finals and weekly Wednesday highlights, which will air on RTÉ 2 and the digital RTÉ Player streaming service. RTÉ Sport Group Head Declan McBennett said the broadcaster is “delighted” to retain coverage of what he called the “greatest club competition in the world.”
“When you look at the allocation of rights across all the territories involved, very few have a free-to-air presence remaining and Ireland is one of those, and that’s critically important to us and to our audience,” McBennett stated.
This announcement comes amid an intensified bidding atmosphere for UEFA properties, with many markets shifting to subscription models. RTÉ’s deal guarantees Irish fans will continue to enjoy top-tier European soccer without a paywall, a rarity in the current media landscape.
Strong Viewership Highlights Growing Demand for UEFA Content on RTÉ
Last season, RTÉ 2 averaged nearly 200,000 viewers per live Champions League match, underscoring the competition’s draw. On the RTÉ Player, the Champions League was ranked third among the most-watched sports events in 2025 with a total of 1.4 million streams. It remains a top 10 content piece on the platform in 2026, spotlighting the competition’s growing digital footprint.
This new deal complements RTÉ’s existing soccer rights portfolio, which includes coverage of the UEFA Euro 2028, live broadcasts of the Republic of Ireland Men’s and Women’s National Teams, and the FAI Cup. The broad spectrum of live soccer coverage ensures RTÉ will remain a key destination for football fans across Ireland and beyond.
Global Soccer Spotlight: FIFA World Cup 2026 on RTÉ
Adding to the urgency and excitement this summer is the 2026 FIFA World Cup launching across the USA, Mexico, and Canada. RTÉ will provide free, live coverage of every one of the 104 matches via RTÉ 2 and the RTÉ Player, aligning perfectly with its soccer rights strategy and engaging a wider international audience during the biggest soccer tournament on the planet.
For US viewers, especially in soccer-growing markets like Nevada, this announcement highlights the increasing availability of global top-flight European soccer narratives broadcast free to air, offering fans a consistent, high-quality viewing option beyond streaming paywalls.
What’s Next: Full Takeover in 2027 and Continued Fan Engagement
Beginning in the 2027 season, RTÉ will fully roll out its exclusive UEFA Champions League coverage every Wednesday night, culminating in the final broadcast under this deal through 2031. Fans can expect enhanced production, expanded highlight packages, and improved digital integration on RTÉ Player.
Declan McBennett emphasized the importance of remaining a free-to-air broadcaster in the increasingly exclusive and subscription-driven world of global football rights, a feature that keeps the Champions League accessible to the widest audiences possible in Ireland and resonates with international soccer fans watching through digital means.
As soccer fans globally gear up for the World Cup, RTÉ’s expanded Champions League rights signal a sustained commitment to making European club football broadly accessible—an important development involving media rights that many US audiences will follow closely given the sport’s expanding reach.
Stay tuned to The Nevada Voice for ongoing coverage of global soccer media rights and live sports broadcast news impacting fans in Nevada and across the United States.
