BT Sport retains Heineken Champions Cup rights

BT Sport has retained the rights to the Heineken Champions Cup through to 2024.

The broadcaster will televise every match from Europe’s premier club rugby competition, along with select games from the EPCR Challenge Cup. It is an extension of a deal that was first signed in 2015.

The upcoming season will feature teams from across the UK, Ireland, France, Italy and, for the first time, South Africa.

The EPCR has also announced ITV, RTE and S4C as its FTA partners. ITV and RTE will each show one match per round, while S4C will provide live coverage of all Ospreys’ pool stage fixtures and one match featuring one of Cardiff Rugby, Dragons RFC or the Scarlets in each pool stage round of the second-tier Challenge Cup. 

EPCR chairman, Dominic McKay, said: “We are delighted to continue to work with BT Sport, who have delivered incredible coverage of, and growing audiences for, our competitions. It is also significant we welcome three free-to-air partners on board in ITV, RTE and S4C, who will deliver for us in terms of viewership growth, innovation and profile in key markets as we welcome South African clubs into the EPCR fold.

“BT Sport, ITV, RTE and S4C complete our broadcast partnerships in the key markets of the UK and Ireland, and with beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions in France, SuperSport in South Africa and FloSports in the USA, we are looking forward to bringing the pinnacle of international club rugby to more audiences than ever before.”

Rachel Knight, sports rights director, BT Sport, said: “Today’s news means BT Sport remains the home of club rugby in the UK and Ireland, offering unrivalled coverage from the Heineken Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup, plus, multiple live matches every week from Gallagher Premiership Rugby.”