Disney+ Secures UEFA Champions League Rights in €775m Deal

UEFA has secured new media rights agreements totaling €775 million, marking a significant shift in the distribution of its premier club competitions. As part of these deals, Disney+ has acquired broadcasting rights for the UEFA Champions League for the first time, expanding the streaming service’s sports portfolio into key global markets.

The agreements, reported on May 1, 2026, see Disney+ secure packages for Mexico, South America, and Denmark. This expansion is part of a broader commercial strategy for the streaming platform to integrate high-value live sports into its ecosystem to drive subscriber growth and retention.

Strategic Expansion into New Markets

The entry of Disney+ into the Champions League rights landscape signals a move toward more diversified distribution models for UEFA. By partnering with a global streaming giant, UEFA is targeting a younger, digitally native audience in regions where streaming penetration is increasing.

The acquisition of rights in Mexico and South America allows Disney+ to capitalize on the intense football passion in the Americas, while the Denmark package strengthens its foothold in the Nordic region. This territorial strategy aligns with Disney’s objective to leverage sports content as a primary anchor for its subscription services.

Broader Media Rights Landscape

The €775 million in deals involves a complex web of broadcasters and streaming platforms across Europe and the Americas. While Disney+ is a new addition to the Champions League roster, other established entities continue to play central roles in the distribution of UEFA’s three main club competitions: the Champions League, the Europa League, and the Conference League.

Several other major media organizations are involved in the current rights cycle or the broader UEFA broadcast ecosystem, including:

• Paramount+, which has maintained a significant presence in the Americas.
• Canal+, a primary broadcaster in French-speaking territories.
• DAZN, the global sports streaming service.
• Viaplay, which operates extensively in Nordic markets.
• UC3 and Relevent Football Partners, who facilitate rights and commercial growth in specific regions.

The inclusion of these varied partners indicates UEFA’s preference for a hybrid model that balances traditional linear broadcasting with the scalability of over-the-top (OTT) streaming services.

Commercial Implications for UEFA

The €775 million valuation of these specific deals reflects the continued high demand for top-tier European football. For UEFA, the goal is to maximize the commercial value of its properties while ensuring maximum reach for the competitions.

By splitting packages across different territories and platforms, UEFA can extract higher premiums from regional specialists while still benefiting from the global scale of platforms like Disney+. This approach mitigates the risk of over-reliance on a single broadcaster and allows for more tailored marketing strategies in different continents.

The move is also seen as a response to changing consumer habits, as viewers increasingly migrate away from traditional cable packages toward on-demand and streaming alternatives. The addition of the Champions League to Disney+ provides a high-frequency, high-interest content stream that encourages long-term subscription commitments.

As these new agreements take effect, the focus will shift to how Disney+ integrates the match-day experience into its interface and whether the strategy of purchasing targeted territorial packages continues to yield financial returns for the streaming service.