BeIN Sports and France Télévisions broadcasters of the European Rugby Cups until 2026

This Thursday, the EPCR (European Professional Club Rugby) confirmed information from L’Équipe on August 5thnamely that beIN Sports and France Télévisions extend their broadcasting contract for the European Rugby Cups until 2026.

For the next four seasons, the pay channel beIN Sports will broadcast the entire new format of the European Cup and a selection of matches from the European Challenge. For its part, France Télévisions will co-broadcast two posters of the European Cup (Saturday 3 p.m. and Sunday 4 p.m.) on France 2 and the poster for Saturday evening in the European Challenge, no longer on France 4 but on France 3 .

“This season, we are delighted with the arrival of the provinces of South Africa, country of World Champions, rejoices Laurent-Éric Le Lay, the sports director of France Télé. This development marks a historic turning point for the competitions, a new dynamic with new viewers to seduce. »

“Broadcaster of the fall rugby union test matches, but also of the Super League, the NRL, and more recently the Rugby League World Cup, beIN Sports is an essential rugby broadcaster in France”recalls Martin Aurenche, vice-president of sports content and acquisitions at beIN Media Group.

During the previous cycle (2018-2022), the EPCR had, according to our information, negotiated the rights to its main European Cup at 30 million euros per season (24 million paid by beIN and 6 million by France Télévisions) but then with only one clear match. In 2020, the contract for the “Champions Cup” had been revised downwards by 4 million per season for beIN, the EPCR wishing to develop its visibility with a second poster in the clear on France Télévisions. For the moment, we do not know the amount of the new contract, which has not been disclosed.