FANS can watch free midweek highlights of the newly-enlarged Champions League on the BBC over the next three seasons.
European football’s top domestic competition jumps from 32 to 36 clubs from 2024-25, meaning a rise from 125 games to 189.
The Beeb are “simply thrilled” by their three-year deal with Uefa for a Match of the Day-style show.
TNT Sports are losing exclusive rights – but will still show 533 of the 550 live games.
Amazon Prime Video will now grab some live action from next term.
However, TNT Sports are retaining their exclusivity for the Europa League and Europa Conference League.
But it’s the BBC access to the Champions League that might excite fans most.
The highlights package will be available on TV, iPlayer and online.
The Beeb’s Director of Sport Barbara Slater has previously said: “We are simply thrilled to have won these rights.
“Our reach and ability to bring people together is unrivalled.
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“We couldn’t be more delighted that Uefa has recognised the value in our ability to bring the Champions League to the widest possible audience across the UK.
“This package of highlights and digital content will allow football fans to follow the Champions League, wherever and however they like.
“The Champions League is a wonderful addition to our portfolio of football output on the BBC and we can’t wait to get started in 2024.”
For their part, Uefa have bigged up the Beeb’s international standing for covering sport.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director of European football’s rulers, said: “The BBC brand is synonymous with premium sport.”
He too was “thrilled” the Beeb will provide “Wednesday highlights for the very first time”.
Uefa’s overall broadcasting deal for 2024-27 will rake in around £1.45bilion – a hefty 20% increase on the current £1.2bn arrangement.
By Dave Kidd
WHEN Manchester United got lucky in their FA Cup semi-final, Antony’s first instinct was to goad heartbroken opponents Coventry. To rub their noses in the dirt.
Antony seems to be a vile individual but this isn’t really about Antony. Because Antony is merely a symptom of the hideous sickness within England’s top flight.
There is so much wrong.
After our elite clubs persuaded the FA to completely scrap Cup replays — which gave us Ronnie Radford and Ricky Villa and Ryan Giggs — without due recompense or reasoning with the rest of English football.
The previous day, after his Manchester City side had defeated Chelsea in the other FA Cup semi-final, Pep Guardiola whinged about the fixture scheduling of TV companies who effectively pay much of his £20m salary.
Up at Wolves, Guardiola’s friend and rival Mikel Arteta was playing the same sad song about fixture congestion, despite his Arsenal side having played two fewer games this season than Coventry — who don’t have £50m squad players to rotate with.
Chelsea, oh Chelsea. The one-time plaything of a Russian oligarch now owned by financially incontinent venture capitalists who have piddled £1billion on a squad of players who fight like weasels in a sack about who should bask in the personal glory of scoring the penalty that puts them 5-0 up against Everton.
