EBU returns to Olympics rights fold with WBD joint bid

Warner Bros. Discovery and the EBU have won the exclusive rights to the 2026-32 Olympics.

After a competitive tender from the IOC, the pair will hold rights across 49 territories in Europe - including the UK and Ireland.This includes Milano Cortina 2026, Los Angeles 2028, the 2030 Winter Games and Brisbane 2032, as well as the Youth Olympic Games in that period.

The EBU will hold free-to-air rights, with every member to broadcast more than 200 hours of coverage of the Olympic Summer Games and at least 100 hours of the Olympic Winter Games on linear TV, with a broad range of radio coverage, live streaming and reporting across web, app and social media platforms.

The vast majority of these members also covered the 2018-24 Games through a partnership with Discovery and the IOC after the former won exclusive rights, but now all of them will have guaranteed access. This includes the BBC, with director-general Tim Davie commenting: “The Olympic Games is a truly special event - thrilling and inspiring in equal measure - I’m delighted it will be on free-to-air for the UK public. I know the BBC will do a fantastic job bringing all the action and analysis to the public.”

BBC Sport director Barbara Slater added: “This partnership ensures that audiences in the UK will continue to have free-to-air access to the Olympic Games for the next decade. The BBC’s ability to bring the nation together is second to none and this new deal provides sports fans a comprehensive, compelling live and on demand offer.”

Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery will again hold “every moment” rights on its digital and streaming platforms discovery+ and Eurosport Player, as well as full pay-TV rights on Eurosport. Much like its current deal, this will mean the entire Olympics are available on its digital services.

IOC president Thomas Bach said: “We are delighted to have reached a long-term agreement with two of the world’s leading media companies. The EBU and its Members provide unparalleled broadcast expertise and reach across Europe, and Warner Bros. Discovery, through the recent combination of Warner Media and Discovery, represents one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies across all programming genres and platforms. It demonstrates the ongoing appeal of the Olympic Games across Europe. As the IOC redistributes 90 per cent of the revenues it generates, this long-term agreement also provides critical financial stability to the wider sporting movement and ultimately supports the athletes themselves.”

Delphine Ernotte Cunci, president of the EBU and CEO of France Télévisions, said: “We’re proud to have secured the Olympic Games for audiences to enjoy free to air until 2032. This deal is a game-changer for public service media and demonstrates the abiding strength and solidarity of our Union.

“Through its members, the EBU has the potential to reach over 1 billion viewers across Europe via linear and non-linear platforms. And that’s why I’m so pleased to welcome this partnership with the IOC and Warner Bros. Discovery, which will ensure the Games will be available to the widest possible audience across Europe.”

Andrew Georgiou, president and managing director for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, commented: “As the ‘Home of the Olympics in Europe’ for the last three Olympic Games, we are pleased to be extending our relationship with the IOC through 2032. Ahead of what promises to be a magnificent Olympic Games Paris 2024, we are delighted that Warner Bros. Discovery will remain the only place where fans can get every moment of the following four Olympics

“We are grateful to be partnering with the EBU and its members on the next stage of our Olympic journey, extending our commitment made together with the IOC in 2015 to reach more people through broad-reaching and accessible coverage. Viewers throughout Europe will continue to have extensive choice and the ability to access the Games across multiple platforms, setting an outstanding foundation to build on the record audience and engagement delivered for Europe for the past three Games.”

Image: Getty