Netflix ‘targeting Premier League rights in major broadcasting change after missing out on Champions League’

NETFLIX is considering making a move for Premier League TV rights after narrowly missing out on securing a deal for European competitions.

The streaming giant, which has made a concerted effort for more live sport with and , put forward bids for UEFA’s Super Cup — the match between the and Europa League winners — and for Champions League rights in Germany from 2027-31, according to The Times.

Paramount won the Champions League rights in the UK last week in a reported £1 billion deal.

has already committed monstrous sums to sport. They spend roughly £3.8bn on WWE and for alone, he will make £70m for fighting in December.

It’s expected that Netflix will provide a new rival for Sky and TNT Sports when it comes to the domestic Premier League deals, and also for NBC for the American rights to the English top flight.

The latest domestic deals run until 2029, but NBC’s deal expires in 2028. That contract is worth $2bn and is the Premier League’s biggest overseas deal.

Bids for the next packages are expected during next 12 months.

The Times report that “Netflix’s offers for the European packages were competitive but that UEFA was unable to unwrap the Super Cup from the rest of its rights, and that Netflix was narrowly outbid by Paramount+ for the Champions League deal in Germany”.

A source told The Times: “The important thing for football – both European-wide and domestic leagues – is that Netflix has shown for the first time that it is interested in buying rights.

“When you add that to the fact that Paramount has come into the market, it means good news for football because there will be more competition for rights.

“The Premier League is the most attractive domestic league in the world, so securing some of its rights would be a likely target for both Netflix and Paramount.”

In a compromise of sorts, it’s also reported that UEFA had offered a package that meant showing one Champions League match per round.

However, Streaming platforms were not yet ready to commit resources with such a paltry return.

Netflix has already seen success with its live sporting commitments. They showed an game last Christmas while so many people tuned in to watch Jake Paul vs – around 65 million according to Netflix themselves – it crashed the stream.

The streaming juggernaut does already have some football on the cards with the rights for 2027 and 2031 secured in the US.

But their desire to work their way into the money-spinning men’s game is clear.

The Times explains: “Broadcast industry insiders said Netflix could first be tempted by a package of Premier League festive fixtures when the packages go up for sale.”

UEFA and the Premier League are finding more ways to divide their rights and make more money and that in turn has been the foundation of American and other foreign investment in English football clubs.

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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