Channel 4 To Broadcast Champions Cup Rugby

It has recently been announced that from next season, Channel 4 will broadcast one live match per round of the Champions Cup pool stage, as well as one live match during the knockout stages of the tournament.

This deal will cover at least the next four years and will bring rugby and the Champions Cup into homes for free.

EPCR Marketing and Commercial Director, Carsten Couchouron, said: “To have live Champions Cup rugby on Channel 4 will take the outstanding rugby experiences to more fans so we are delighted to increase our coverage through this partnership. Channel 4 has an exciting sports portfolio and we are delighted to add to that as part of our enhanced broadcast platforms in the United Kingdom.”

Stephen Lyle, Channel 4 Sports Commissioning Editor, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing top class rugby to Channel 4. The Champions Cup is one of the most prestigious rugby union tournaments featuring many of the best players in the world and I’m sure viewers will be delighted to see it returning to free to air television.”

Channel Four: The TV channel will broadcast live matches of the Champions Cup from next year (Getty Images)

Additionally, TV3 have brokered a similar deal for free-to-air coverage of the tournament in the Republic of Ireland, whilst NBC Sports will also broadcast every Champions Cup game starting from next season.

Finally, per epcrugby.com, “BT Sport have already been confirmed as the official broadcast partner in the UK and Ireland also until the end of the 2021/22 season while in France, beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions have extended their agreements with a likely future announcement of additional free-to-air coverage in that territory.”

We can all agree, the more free rugby on television, the better, and with the United States getting coverage too, rugby can only gain from these types of deals.

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