Austrian public-service broadcaster ORF has partnered with French pay-TV giant Canal Plus to provide free-to-air highlights of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) club competition this season. This collaboration will ensure that sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts have access to key moments from the games.
The highlight show, titled "More Football – The Champions League Highlights," debuted on Thursday, September 19. It featured coverage from Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg's UCL opener against Sparta Prague. This season is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first time two Austrian clubs, Red Bull Salzburg and SK Sturm Graz, are participating in the UCL.
Canal Plus holds a package of UCL rights for the next three years. As part of this deal, they will jointly broadcast the highlights programme every Thursday. The French media group also secured an exclusive agreement with UEFA for broadcasting a top-tier Champions League match on Wednesdays and highlights during the 2024-27 cycle. In addition to these rights, Canal Plus has also acquired permission to showcase the top game of each week from either Europa League or third-tier Conference League.
A collaboration between ORF and Canal Plus
The highlight shows will be produced by Canal Plus at its Auhof studios in Vienna. Both broadcasters will contribute presenters, analysts, and reporters for individual game highlights ensuring comprehensive coverage for viewers.
Thomas Trukesitz, Canal Plus sports director, said:
“We have chosen a creative and innovative form of cooperation that ultimately represents a win-win-win situation – for both partners ORF and Canal Plus as well as for the football fans. This is a best practice example of how media companies should cooperate in a small country like Austria.”
Pay-TV broadcaster Sky holds rights to most UCL matches while Servus TV - owned by Red Bull - broadcasts one live match every Thursday. This arrangement ensures widespread coverage across Austria both on pay-TV platforms as well as Free-To-Air (FTA) channels throughout this season. This comes at a pivotal moment when UEFA's elite club competition enters a new era with a revamped format. The UCL has expanded from 32 to 36 teams, increasing the total number of matches from 125 to 189.
ORF's exclusive rights to FIFA World Cup
In addition to the UCL coverage, ORF secured exclusive rights last November for broadcasting the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. This move further solidifies ORF's commitment towards providing high-quality football content for Austrian viewers.
This collaboration between ORF and Canal Plus is set to provide sports fans and betting enthusiasts with comprehensive coverage of UEFA Champions League highlights. It marks an exciting time for football in Austria as it continues its journey into a new era of expanded competition.
