The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded all media rights in Europe for the four Olympic Games in the 2026-2032 period to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Warner Bros Discovery.
The two organisations submitted a joint bid to acquire all media rights across 49 territories in Europe for the Winter Games in Cortina in 2026, LA Summer Games in 2028, Winter Games in 2030 and 2032’s Summer Games in Brisbane. The deal also includes the Youth Olympic Games in the period.
The new agreement guarantees free-to-air reach for the Games through the EBU’s network of public service broadcasters, with every broadcaster committing to airing more than 200 hours of coverage of the Olympic Summer Games and at least 100 hours of the Olympic Winter Games on TV.
Speaking about the deal, Delphine Ernotte Cunci, president of the EBU and CEO of France Télévisions, described the deal as a “game-changer for public service media”.
“Through its members, the EBU has the potential to reach over 1 billion viewers across Europe via linear and non-linear platforms,” she added. “And that’s why I’m so pleased to welcome this partnership with the IOC and Warner Bros Discovery, which will ensure the Games will be available to the widest possible audience across Europe.”
Andrew Georgiou, president and managing director for Warner Bros Discovery Sports Europe, added:
“We are grateful to be partnering with the EBU and its members on the next stage of our Olympic journey, extending our commitment made together with the IOC in 2015 to reach more people through broad-reaching and accessible coverage. Viewers throughout Europe will continue to have extensive choice and the ability to access the Games across multiple platforms, setting an outstanding foundation to build on the record audience and engagement delivered for Europe for the past three Games.”
