Mexican streaming operator, Caliente TV, has secured rights to a package of games from pan-European club soccer’s UEFA Champions League (UCL). The service recently announced that it will broadcast 50% of UEFA Champions League matches for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Caliente TV will exclusively cover Wednesday fixtures of the UCL. Meanwhile, Tuesday games will be aired by TNT Sports and Max platforms run by media giant Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). This marks a shift from the previous season where HBO Max platform and ESPN were responsible for broadcasting UCL action in Mexico. Notably, Mexican players such as Hirving Lozano at PSV and Santiago Giménez at Feyenoord participated in last season’s UCL. Both clubs are based in the Netherlands.
From 2024-25 onwards, the Champions League is set to adopt a new single-league format. The competition will expand from its current roster of 32 teams to include 36 teams and increase its number of matches from 125 to an impressive total of 189 matches. The group stages for this revamped format are slated to begin in mid-September.
Expansion into Latin American media rights
In addition to securing rights for half of the upcoming season's UCL games, Caliente TV has also obtained Latin American media rights for French soccer’s top-tier Ligue 1 over the next three seasons.
Following an agreement with LFP French soccer body unveiled on July 18th, Caliente TV now holds broadcasting rights across Mexico, Central America, and South America (excluding Brazil) for seasons spanning from 2024-25 through to the end of season '26-'27. This includes coverage not only for Ligue 1 matches but also Ligue 2 matches and Trophee des Champions, the annual clash between league and cup winners.
The broadcaster plans to air all Ligue 1 matches on its linear channel and OTT streaming platforms, including various social media sites. As for UCL coverage in the neighboring US, Paramount’s CBS will be responsible for broadcasting. Meanwhile, TelevisaUnivision holds Spanish-language rights. Caliente TV's acquisition of these rights marks a significant milestone in their expansion strategy and offers sports fans more options for viewing top-tier soccer matches.
