BBC Sport secures five-year deal to show Women’s Champions League matches
BBC Sport has agreed a new five-year deal to broadcast live UEFA Women’s Champions League matches starting this season and continuing until 2030.
The deal is in addition to a similar agreement with Disney+, which ends in the 2029/30 season. Disney+ has also secured broadcast rights for the competition.
In their official statement, Disney+ said: “Disney+ will be the home of the UEFA Women's Champions League across Europe from next season, allowing fans to watch every match live at no extra cost. The announcement follows a five-year deal: The Walt Disney Company has secured live rights to the competition from 2025/26 to 2029/30.”
While Disney+ holds the rights to show every match, the BBC will broadcast seven live games each season, including the final.
Their coverage begins with Manchester United v Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford on 12 November, followed by Chelsea v Barcelona on 20 November. Both ties underline the BBC’s intention to showcase the biggest fixtures involving English clubs.
Matches will be available across BBC TV, iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app, ensuring wide accessibility.
BBC Radio 5 Live will continue to provide live commentary of key games throughout the tournament. In addition to the final, BBC coverage will include both legs of one semi-final and four games from earlier rounds.
This approach mirrors the domestic WSL broadcast model, in which the BBC shares rights with Sky Sports.
In this case, Disney+ takes on the role of main broadcaster—similar to Sky—while the BBC provides free-to-air access, much like its weekly WSL game. The BBC may prioritise matches involving English clubs in the same way Amazon Prime focuses on broadcasting fixtures featuring English teams in men’s European competitions.
From a fan’s perspective, this agreement feels like the right balance between commercial investment and accessibility. Previous coverage with DAZN made games free to watch with an account, but without requiring a subscription.
Now, while Disney+ will monetise the competition, the BBC’s free-to-air coverage ensures the tournament remains open to new audiences who might not be ready to commit to a subscription service.
As I see it, this is a smart step forward that brings in the financial backing women’s football needs, but without isolating potential fans. Having major matches live on the BBC will help the Champions League grow its audience and give the competition greater visibility in the UK.
BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski welcomed the deal:
“This is a great moment for women's football and BBC Sport. Bringing the UEFA Women's Champions League to a free-to-air audience is vast, but our digital offering makes this game-changing.
Our multi-platform strategy means fans won’t just watch the biggest games live on TV, they’ll experience the best moments, goals and highlights across our website, app and social media platforms. We’re making the competition more accessible, visible, and connected than ever.”
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