BeIN Sports set to pick up European club rugby rights in France

French pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has struck a deal to acquire rights for rugby union’s new European club rugby tournaments, according to French newspaper l’Equipe.

BeIN Sports will show the new European Rugby Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup tournaments for the next four seasons, from 2014-15 to 2017-18, the report said.

French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus, which had rights for the previous Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions, was outbid for the rights, with the beIN Sports deal set to be announced tomorrow (Wednesday).

French public-service broadcaster France Televisions is also in talks about acquiring rights to show one game per match day from the two tournaments.