The final of the men's soccer 2023-24 UEFA Europa League will be broadcast free-to-air (FTA) in Italy, thanks to the performance of Italian sides in the competition. This move has been triggered by a clause with Italy’s Authority for Communications (AGCOM).
The game will be aired on Italian TV due to the involvement of Serie A club Atalanta. The Bergamo-based team is set to face Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in this highly anticipated match. The fixture is scheduled for May 22, taking place in Dublin, Ireland and will be covered live on Rai 1 channel.
Italian broadcast regulations require pay-TV broadcasters to partner with a free-to-air broadcaster when events are deemed relevant to national interest. The presence of Atalanta has led authorities to consider this year’s Europa League final as such an event.
This marks a significant moment as no Italian side has won the competition since Parma claimed victory back in 1999 when it was known as the UEFA Cup under a different format.
Pay-TV and streaming services also broadcasting
While Rai takes up FTA broadcasting duties, pay-TV's Sky Italia and over-the-top streaming service DAZN will also air the competition’s final. Sky Italia holds rights for all UEFA club competitions within Italy through till 2027, making this game part of their last cycle from 2021-24.
Atalanta secured their place after besting France's Olympique Marseille during semi-finals while Roma fell short against Bayer Leverkusen, eliminating hopes for an all-Italian final showdown.
Rai had previously aired two quarter-final matches and two semi-final matches from this year’s Europa League after agreeing on a sub-licensing deal with Sky for these games - similar arrangements were made in the 2022-23 season.
Uncertainty over Europa Conference League final broadcast
As for UEFA’s tertiary competition, the Europa Conference League, it is yet to be confirmed whether its final will receive similar FTA treatment. The 2023-24 Conference League final will see Italian side Fiorentina face off against Greece’s Olympiacos in Athens on May 29.
The match will be broadcast by Sky Italia and DAZN, but no FTA agreement has been announced despite last year's final (which also featured Fiorentina) being aired on Rai alongside Sky and DAZN.
The upcoming UEFA Europa League final promises to be an exciting event for sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike. With Atalanta representing Italy in this prestigious competition, viewers across Italy can look forward to free-to-air coverage of this thrilling encounter.
