Uefa finalises Euro deals in France

Uefa, European football’s governing body, has agreed two-tournament deals in France for the European Championships in 2012 and 2016 with commercial broadcasters TF1 and M6, and pay-television broadcaster Al Jazeera.

TF1 and M6, which shared the broadcast rights to Euro 2008, will share the free-to-air rights for 19 live games this summer, and 22 live games in 2016 when the tournament expands from 16 teams to 24. Al Jazeera acquired pay-television rights for all matches from both tournaments.

M6 and TF1 are paying a combined €100 million ($131 million) for their rights across both tournaments, with each broadcaster paying €50 million in total, according to Les Echos. The broadcasters are paying a combined €40 million for Euro 2012 and €60 million for Euro 2016, according to l’Équipe. The broadcasters paid €50 million each for the exclusive rights for the 31 matches at Euro 2008.

Al Jazeera will pay €130 million ($170.3 million) for its two-tournament deal, according to l’Équipe.

At this summer’s tournament, M6 will show 10 games live, including the opening match, two of the French national team’s group stage matches, two quarter-finals – the second and third pick – and one semi-final. M6 will get the semi-final featuring France if the team gets to that stage of the tournament.

TF1 will show five group matches, the first and fourth pick of the quarter-finals, the other semi-final and the final. It has selected to show coverage of the following group matches: France v England, Germany v Portugal, Netherlands v Germany, Spain v Ireland and either Croatia v Spain or Italy v Ireland.

At Euro 2016, the free-to-air broadcasters will provide live coverage of the opening match, all matches involving the French national team, knock-out stage matches and the final. The expansion of the tournament in 2016 means there will be 51 matches that year, compared to 31 this year.

In France, listed-events legislation directs that the semi-finals, final and all France matches in the tournament must be broadcast free-to-air.

Al Jazeera will broadcast its live coverage of the matches, plus preview and highlights programming, on its beIN Sport channels.

Mobile and internet rights were included in all of the deals.

UPDATED ON 11 APRIL 2012