The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has confirmed that the TV rights for the Olympics will be shared between free and pay TV services in the UK and beyond between 2026 and 2032.
Following the IOC’s launch of a competitive tender, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) presented a joint bid to acquire all media rights across 49 territories in Europe for the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympics, plus 2028 and 2032 Summer Olympics.
In the UK, the BBC, as EBU Member will pick up the free-to-air coverage. In Ireland, RTÉ will retain coverage.
Under the terms of the deal, over 200 hours of coverage of the 2028 and 2032 summer games will be on the BBC. The BBC will also be able to show at least 100 hours of coverage from the Winter Olympics.
What does mean in practice for viewers in the UK?
In practice, the new 2026-2032 rights deal translates to more of the same for viewers in the UK.
At the moment, and until the end of the 2024 Paris games, WBD is the main rights holder. The BBC sublicenses the rights. However, this means that the BBC is no longer able to offer comprehensive coverage. It is limited to coverage on one live network TV channel, plus just one Red Button/online stream.
From 2026, the BBC will be a joint rights holder, but with the same package of rights it had under the sublicensing agreement.
In other words, the same limited Olympic coverage – one live network TV channel, plus one Red Button/stream+ highlights and on-demand coverage – will continue until and including 2032.
Viewers who want more coverage will need to switch to WBD’s sports channels and online services. At the moment, that’s Eurosport and discovery+.
But WBD is currently in the process of changing its sports channel offering following the merger of Eurosport UK and BT Sport. By 2026, it might not be Eurosport, but an as yet unnamed replacement that carries the full Olympic coverage.
Irish TV coverage
RTÉ confirms it will continue to broadcast 200 hours of coverage of the summer games and 100 hours of coverage of the Winter Olympics.
Countries covered by the new Olympic TV deal
In the following countries, the local EBU member will carry free-to-air coverage (at least 200 hours for summer and 100 hours for the Winter games). Exceptions will apply in some countries:
- Albania*,
- Andorra*,
- Armenia*,
- Austria*,
- Azerbaijan*,
- Belgium*,
- Bosnia and Herzegovina*,
- Bulgaria*,
- Croatia*,
- Cyprus*,
- Czech Republic*,
- Denmark,
- Estonia*,
- Finland,
- France*,
- Georgia*,
- Germany^,
- Greece*,
- Hungary,
- Iceland*,
- Ireland*,
- Israel*,
- Italy*,
- Kosovo*,
- Latvia*,
- Liechtenstein*,
- Lithuania*,
- Luxembourg*,
- Malta*,
- Moldova*,
- Monaco*,
- Montenegro*,
- North Macedonia*,
- Netherlands*,
- Norway,
- Poland*,
- Portugal*,
- Romania*,
- San Marino*,
- Serbia*,
- Slovakia*,
- Slovenia*,
- Spain*,
- Sweden,
- Switzerland*,
- Turkey*,
- United Kingdom*,
- Ukraine*
- Vatican City State*.
*In these countries, Warner Bros Discovery’s streaming platforms will offer every Olympic moment. In countries missing the asterisk, WBD will have non-exclusive rights to every Olympic moment on its streaming platform. ^In Germany, WBD’s Eurosport, ARD and ZDF will each carry free-to-air coverage.
Responding to the announcement by the IOC, Barbara Slater, Director BBC Sport, said:
“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.”
RTÉ’s Director General Dee Forbes commented:
“We are delighted to secure rights to the next three Olympic Games ensuring that Irish audiences have free to air access to this major international sporting event until 2032.
The three games referenced by the RTÉ Director General refer to the Summer Olympics (2024 under the old deal, 2028 and 2032.) RTÉ has confirmed it does hold Winter Olympic rights as well.