Netflix getting ready to bid for Champions League games in massive £4.3bn development

Streaming heavyweights such as Netflix, Disney, or Amazon could potentially bag exclusive first-pick global rights to one Champions League match per round from 2027. UEFA and European clubs are expected to pocket a whopping £4.3billion a season in the upcoming television rights sale.

The 'global first pick' option is poised to be offered to broadcasters during the imminent tender for the rights to air UEFA's club competitions from 2027 to 2033, according to the PA news agency. This could lure streaming services with global reach like Netflix, Disney, DAZN and Amazon.

Sources close to the tender process have spilled that UEFA and European clubs are aiming to generate a staggering five billion euros (£4.3bn) in media and commercial rights revenue annually in the next cycle – a significant jump on the £3.3bn per season secured for the current one.

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The introduction of a global pick could lead to additional subscription costs for viewers, as it could potentially split UK rights across even more broadcasters, with TNT Sports and Amazon currently holding the rights.

UC3, a joint venture formed between UEFA and European Football Clubs (EFC), announced on Wednesday that it was launching the first rights tender for 2027 onwards on October 13.

At this point, it remains uncertain how far into the competition the 'global pick' option might extend. The agreement couldn't truly be 'global' until 2030, because CBS' six-year arrangement in the United States runs until then, but it would encompass other territories.

There's the possibility of a single broadcaster obtaining rights across all five of Europe's biggest television markets. It's expected that the sale of those rights will be put out to tender at the same time for the first time, creating the chance for one broadcaster to secure rights across all those markets.

Sources have also indicated UEFA may pursue deals extending beyond three years in European markets for the first time.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin spoke broadly about the commercial strength of the European game when he addressed the EFC General Assembly on Wednesday morning.

He said: "Through this joint venture, the game will grow. And with (marketing agency) Relevent at our side, we have the strongest team to make it happen.

"Together we are building something unique, with ambition. To deliver the most engaging football, the most innovative, the most accessible.

"To expand our core revenue streams. To inspire new fans to follow our competitions, to drive engagement with new audiences, especially in an ever-changing media and streaming rights landscape. And to make the most of digital platforms, we'll bring the game closer than ever to everyone.

"This is how we will strengthen our clubs and keep European football at the very top."

The forthcoming cycle will be the second since UEFA expanded its club competitions, which included the introduction of a 36-team league phase in the Champions League.

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