Fox Sports has cemented its position as a major player in soccer broadcasting in the United States by securing a significant six-year deal with UEFA, the governing body of European football. This agreement grants Fox Sports the coveted broadcast rights for the UEFA European Championships in both 2024 and 2028, ensuring that American audiences will have prime access to one of the world’s most prestigious international football tournaments, often simply referred to as “Euro 2024” or “Euro 2028”.
Beyond the highly anticipated Euro 2024 and subsequent Euro 2028 tournaments, the comprehensive deal encompasses a wide array of UEFA national team competitions. This includes the UEFA Nations League, the thrilling qualifying stages for both the FIFA World Cup and the European Championships, and all international friendly matches organized under UEFA’s jurisdiction. In total, Fox Sports will broadcast over 1,500 matches, commencing with the UEFA Nations League in June 2022, offering an unprecedented volume of top-tier European soccer to US viewers.
Fox Sports is strategically integrating these UEFA broadcasts with its digital platforms, Fox Bet and Fox Bet Super 6. This move is designed to enhance user engagement, allowing viewers to seamlessly access content and potentially participate in related betting and prediction games, creating a more interactive and immersive experience for fans of Euro 2024 and other UEFA competitions.
Previously, ESPN held the broadcast rights for UEFA European Championship matches in the US, having aired the tournament since 2008. Reports indicate that ESPN paid a substantial US$115 million solely for the rights to Euro 2020. Industry sources, prior to this Fox deal, suggested UEFA was seeking approximately US$300 million for the rights to both Euro 2024 and Euro 2028. While the exact financial details of the Fox agreement remain undisclosed, it’s clear that Fox Sports has made a significant investment to secure these premium soccer rights. It’s also understood that CBS, NBC, and ESPN were all in contention and engaged in discussions with UEFA regarding these valuable broadcast rights.
Lachlan Murdoch, Chief Executive of Fox Corporation, confirmed the UEFA deal during a recent quarterly report, highlighting how the return of regular sports programming has significantly boosted the company’s advertising revenue, increasing it by 17 percent year-over-year. Eric Shanks, CEO and Executive Producer of Fox Sports, emphasized the strategic fit of the Euros within Fox’s existing portfolio of world-class soccer events. He noted that Euro 2024 and Euro 2028 perfectly complement Fox Sports’ coverage of the FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cups, the CONMEBOL Copa América, and the CONCACAF Gold Cup, effectively solidifying Fox Sports as the premier destination for summer soccer action through 2028.
This UEFA rights acquisition further strengthens Fox Sports’ already impressive commitment to soccer. It follows a substantial US$425 million investment for the US rights to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, a deal extended in 2015 to include the 2026 World Cup and the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Furthermore, Fox Sports recently initiated a six-year agreement with CONMEBOL, encompassing multiple women’s Copa América tournaments and the prestigious men’s Copa América in 2024. With the addition of Euro 2024 and Euro 2028, Fox Sports is delivering an unparalleled lineup of elite international soccer to American audiences, solidifying its leadership in sports broadcasting and offering fans comprehensive coverage of the beautiful game for years to come.
