The International Olympic Committee awards media rights in Europe to Warner Bros. Discovery and the European Broadcasting Union until 2032

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this today All media rights in Europe for the four Olympic Games 2026-2032 have been assigned to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Warner Bros. Discovery (of which Eurosport is also a part).

After a tender was launched by the IOC, the European Broadcasting Union and Warner Bros. Discovery submitted a joint bid for media rights in 49 European countries* (including Italy) XXV Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, XXXIV Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, XXVI Olympic Winter Games 2030 and XXXV Olympic Games Brisbane 2032As well as the Youth Olympic Games for the period 2026/2032.

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, said:We are pleased to have reached a long-term agreement with two of the world’s leading media companies. The EBU and its partners will ensure an unparalleled broadcast experience across Europe, while Warner Bros. Discovery, through the recent merger of WarnerMedia & Discovery, will represent one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies across all genres and on every platform. This demonstrates the undiminished appeal of the Olympic Games in Europe, and since the IOC redistributes 90% of revenue generated, this long-term arrangement will also provide crucial financial stability for the sports movement in general and ultimately for the athletes themselves.“.

The IOC’s first partnership with the European Broadcasting Union dates back to 1956, while since a 2015 agreement with the IOC, Warner Bros. Discovery has broadcast PyeongChang 2018, Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022 Olympic Games in Europe and will be the home of the Olympic Games. Paris Olympics 2024.

This new allocation will ensure free broadcast of the Olympic Games by EBU’s network of public service broadcasters, most of which have secured coverage of the last three editions of the Olympic Games in partnership with the International Olympic Committee and Warner Bros. Television. Discovery.

From 2026, the European Broadcasting Union will own the rights to free-to-air broadcasts for TV and digital platforms. Each EBU member will broadcast more than 200 hours of coverage of the Summer Olympics and at least 100 hours of the Winter Games with broad radio, live broadcasts and editorial coverage across web, apps and social media platforms.

Welcoming the agreement, Delphine Ernott-Conse, President of the European Broadcasting Union and CEO of France-Television, said:We are proud to guarantee that the Olympic Games will be broadcast free of charge to the public until 2032. This deal represents a public media breakthrough, demonstrating the strength and unity of our company. Thanks to its partners, EBU has a reach of more than 1 billion viewers across Europe across both linear and non-linear platforms. That’s why I’m so excited to welcome this partnership with IOC and Warner Bros. Discovery: to reach the widest possible audience across Europe“.

For Warner Bros. Discovery, today’s announcement expands its position as the home of the Olympics in EuropeFollowing record growth in audience and digital audience in the last three editions, towards the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Under the new agreement, only at Warner Bros. Discovery, the Olympic Games will be broadcast live on its digital platforms, Live broadcast upon discovery + (including Italy), e Live Pay TV on Eurosport.

Proud of the renewed partnership with the International Olympic Committee, President and General Manager of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, Andrew Georgiou: “As the home of the Olympics, we are delighted to extend our relationship with the IOC until 2032.”. Moreover, in light of what promises to be the great 2024 Paris Olympic Games, We are thrilled that Warner Bros. Discovery is the only place fans can catch every moment of the four subsequent editions. We are grateful to collaborate with the European Broadcasting Union and its partners on the next stages of our Olympic journeyand expand the commitment made with the International Olympic Committee in 2015 to reach the largest number of viewers through comprehensive, accessible coverage of the Olympic Games. Thus, viewers from all over Europe will continue to have a wide choice and access to the Olympic Games on multiple platforms, An exceptional basis for building the audience and engagement record achieved in Europe in the last three editions“

Warner Bros. Discovery and European Broadcasting Union have a long history of partnerships for complementary broadcasting of major sporting events, such as the Biathlon World Cup and World Championships, the IAAF World Championships, Tour de France and Villeta España. For the last three editions of the Olympic Games, Warner Bros. has had its own. Discovery over 45 free partners across Europe to reach a record audience of 372 million people on the continent for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, of which 175 million are on Warner Bros. Channels. Discovery, while the number of Europeans who visited its platforms during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games, 156 million, was 19 times higher than the previous edition of the Winter Games.

* 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, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City.