Tour de France locks in UK broadcaster
Warner Bros. Discovery will become the exclusive UK broadcaster for the men’s and women’s Tour de France from 2026.
The news comes after Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe secured exclusive UK rights to the Tour de France through an extended agreement with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO).
Currently, the pay-TV provider shares the cycling competition with ITV, which shows live races and highlights on ITV4.
This long-term deal, which comemnces in 2026 and runs until at least 2030, also includes races such as La Vuelta and various Classics, solidifying WBD’s commitment to the cycling community.
Within this agreement, Eurosport, Max, and discovery+ will continue to provide live coverage of both men’s and women’s cycling races, including the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, as well as La Vuelta a España and La Vuelta Femenina. This collaboration extends Eurosport’s coverage of the Tour de France beyond 40 years since it first broadcast the historic Grand Tour in 1991.
WBD’s expanded rights package guarantees that every Grand Tour will be available on their channels and platforms across Europe. The Tour de France will be exclusively shown live in the UK, while the Tour de France Femmes will have exclusive coverage in Norway and Ireland.
The broadcast company will offer live coverage for each race on Eurosport’s channels, with uninterrupted streaming available for Max subscribers throughout Europe. Local commentary will be provided in up to 20 languages, featuring insights and expertise from stars of the peloton during the races and on Eurosport’s local studio analysis shows in select markets.
Trojan Paillot, SVP, Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndication at WBD Sports Europe, said, “For many years, we have been trusted to act as the custodian for cycling and have worked tirelessly to maximise the opportunities fans have to engage with their favourite sport.
“Our commitment to cycling has seen us invest in the most comprehensive live rights portfolio, which includes every men’s and women’s Grand Tour race, and we’re delighted to now extend our relationship with our partners at ASO and EBU to take us into a fifth decade of covering the world’s greatest races including the Tour de France.”
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