ioc Awards Olympic Games Media Rights
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that all media rights in Europe for the four Olympic Games in the 2026-2032 period have been awarded to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The Games will also remain on free-to-air television, with the BBC retaining the rights in the UK.
Following the IOC’s launch of a competitive tender, the EBU and Warner Bros. Discovery presented a joint bid to acquire all media rights across 49 territories in Europe for the XXV Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad Los Angeles 2028, the XXVI Olympic Winter Games in 2030 and the Games of the XXXV Olympiad Brisbane 2032, as well as for the Youth Olympic Games in the period.
IOC President Thomas Bach, said, “We are delighted to have reached a long-term agreement with two of the world’s leading media companies. The EBU and its Members provide unparalleled broadcast expertise and reach across Europe, and Warner Bros. Discovery, through the recent combination of Warner Media and Discovery, represents one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies across all programming genres and platforms.
“It demonstrates the ongoing appeal of the Olympic Games across Europe. As the IOC redistributes 90% of the revenues it generates, this long-term agreement also provides critical financial stability to the wider sporting movement and ultimately supports the athletes themselves.”
Under the new agreement, Warner Bros. Discovery will continue broadcasting all of the Olympic action across its streaming and digital platforms, such as sports and entertainment streaming service discovery+, and hold full pay-TV rights, including for its owned and operated Eurosport channels.
Andrew Georgiou, President and Managing Director for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, commented,“As the ‘Home of the Olympics in Europe’ for the last three Olympic Games, we are pleased to be extending our relationship with the IOC through 2032. Ahead of what promises to be a magnificent Olympic Games Paris 2024, we are delighted that Warner Bros. Discovery will remain the only place where fans can get every moment of the following four Olympics
“We are grateful to be partnering with the EBU and its Members on the next stage of our Olympic journey, extending our commitment made together with the IOC in 2015 to reach more people through broad-reaching and accessible coverage. Viewers throughout Europe will continue to have extensive choice and the ability to access the Games across multiple platforms, setting an outstanding foundation to build on the record audience and engagement delivered for Europe for the past three Games.”
This new agreement also guarantees free-to-air reach for the Games through the EBU’s network of public service broadcasters with the EBU holding free-to-air rights on television and digital platforms from 2026.
This will see every Olympic Games up to and including the 2032 summer Games continue to be shown free to air across the BBC.
BBC Director General, Tim Davie, said, “The Olympic Games is a truly special event – thrilling and inspiring in equal measure. I’m delighted it will be on free to air for the UK public.”
Image: Adobe Stock
