The body that conducted the tender, UC3, which encompasses UEFA (European football regulatory body) and EFC (European Football Clubs association), revealed on April 30 information about the media outlets that had been awarded the broadcast rights for the coverage of Champions League, Europa League and Conference League in almost all the territories worldwide for the 2027-2031 period. In Spanish-speaking South America, Central America and Mexico, it is The Walt Disney Company and Paramount that will hold the rights to deliver the Champions League (50% each). As regards Brazil, Warner Bros. Discovery has managed to retain the license to cover the most important European interclub soccer tournament.
The new agreements are to become effective as of mid-2027 and will remain in force until mid-2031. Although the companies and the model used for Spanish-speaking South America, Central America and Mexico are the same, the UC3 report has presented the three regions as separate lots. In addition, the list released by UC3 includes no Free-To-Air TV stations or free streaming plataforms for Latin America.
As regards Disney, in Spanish-speaking South America, Central America and Mexico, the linear Pay TV channels owned by Espn and paid streaming platform Disney+ will cover the games. In the same region, Paramount will deliver the matches through its paid OTT Paramount+. Rights to deliver the matches will be divided into the two firms, with the only exception of the final, which will be the only encounter that will be broadcast by both companies simultaneously.
As far as Brazil is concerned, WBD will air all UEFA Champions League games, as it has been doing for several years. Even though the UC3 report only mentions the name of the company and does not provide any additional information, coverage is expected to remain unchanged, which means that broadcasts are likely to be presented under the company’s sports brand TNT Sports, through Pay TV channel TNT and paid OTT HBO Max.
Although the situation in Brazil remains unchanged, the new deals will result in significant changes in other countries in the region. It is in Mexico that the difference between the current agreement, which expires at the end of 2026/27 season, and the new deal is conspicuous, since not only both licensees but also the model will be different. At present, the Champions League is aired by Warner Bros. Discovery on Pay TV and HBO Max, as well as by Fox Corporation, on its Pay TV channel Fox and on its pay streaming platform Fox One (rights that were previously owned by Caliente TV but later acquired by Fox Corp. in 2025). With regard to the model, the rights are currently allocated based on the day of the week: WBD delivers all the matches played on Tuesdays, whereas Fox Corp. airs all the games played on Wednesdays. Under the new deal, both Tuesday and Wednesday games are to be divided into the two licensees. Finally, in Spanish-speaking South America and Central America, the variation is slighter, considering that Disney is now the only holder of the rights but it will have to share them with Paramount as from 2027.
The emergence of Paramount as one of the successful bidders in the tender is striking, taking into account that the company had decided to discontinue its two latest initiatives related to live sports in Latin America. It held the rights to cover the Premier League (English football) in Mexico and Central America but it terminated the agreement in 2024, one year before its expiration. Moreover, neither in Spanish-speaking South America (Free-To-Air TV and free OTT) nor in Brazil (paid TV and paid OTT) did Paramount renew the license to broadcast Copa Libertadores for the 2027-30 period. In Latin America, the company will retain only UFC rights, though the license is within the scope of a broader agreement entered into for the US territory.
The other two interclub tournaments organized by UEFA, Europa League (second-tier competition) and Conference League (third-tier competition) will be entirely covered by Espn and Disney+ throughout Latin America.
