Telefónica has secured the exclusive audiovisual rights for broadcasting the Champions League and other UEFA competitions in Spain for the seasons from 2027-2028 to 2030-2031 for ¤1.464 billion.
As notified to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), Movistar Plus will continue airing Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League, Youth League, and UEFA Super Cup, enhancing the company's audiovisual offering in a field where the entry of internet giants is always speculated.
This is a provisional award, subject to negotiation and the subsequent signing of a contract with UEFA, which Telefónica expects to finalize in the coming days, ensuring the company the full rights to the main European football competitions for its residential customers. "The direct acquisition of this premium UEFA content will allow Telefónica to continue designing and marketing its channels and content with the best European football," the company specified in the statement sent to the CNMV.
The payment per season amounts to ¤366, 14% more than the ¤320 million paid in the previous cycle, the first of the new formats of the former Champions League. In its recent strategic plan presentation, the company expressed openness to sharing rights with third parties, but ultimately secured them exclusively, opening up the possibility of monetizing them through a negotiated sale to lighten the final bill.
This represents a significant move for the entity, which has made football the cornerstone of its multi-sport offering after losing the rights to the NBA and ACB due to the bids from Dazn and Amazon Prime.
The entry of new players in sports rights acquisition has become evident in the UK. There, the American giant Paramount Skydance has won the auction to broadcast most of the Champions League matches between 2027 and 2031. Its subsidiary Paramount+ already holds the rights to Champions League matches in the United States. As reported by The Guardian, Amazon Prime confirms that it retained the first pick for Tuesday matches in three major European markets.
Sources cited by the British media state that Paramount's offer was significantly higher than the £1 billion currently paid by TNT. Paramount Skydance is led by David Ellison, whose father, Larry Ellison, is the co-founder of Oracle and an ally of Donald Trump.