(Photo: IOC)

The International Olympic Committee has announced that all media rights in Europe for the four Olympic Games in the 2026-2032 period have been awarded to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Warner Bros. Discovery.

This agreement, announced on 16 January, guarantees free-to-air reach for the Games through the EBU’s network of public service broadcasters.

The EBU and Warner Bros. Discovery presented a joint bid to acquire all media rights across 49 territories in Europe for the XXV Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad Los Angeles 2028, the XXVI Olympic Winter Games in 2030 and the Games of the XXXV Olympiad Brisbane 2032, as well as for the Youth Olympic Games in the period.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We are delighted to have reached a long-term agreement with two of the world’s leading media companies.

“The EBU and its members provide unparalleled broadcast expertise and reach across Europe, and Warner Bros. Discovery, through the recent combination of Warner Media and Discovery, represents one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies across all programming genres and platforms.”

Noel Curran, the EBU’s Director General, said: “Sport should be for everyone. We need public service media to bring audiences together to enjoy big national moments, to inspire the next generation of athletes and to grow fanbases for new and emerging sports.

“No other media brand can guarantee so much multi-platform exposure to so many people. This deal just highlights the incredible power of public service media when we all pull together.”

Starting in 2026, the EBU will hold free-to-air rights on television and digital platforms. Every EBU member will broadcast more than 200 hours of coverage of the Olympic Summer Games and at least 100 hours of the Olympic Winter Games on TV, with a broad range of radio coverage, live streaming and reporting across web, app and social media platforms.

The first IOC partnership with the EBU and its members dates back to 1956. In 2015, the IOC partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery across Europe for the 2018-2024 Olympic Games.

For more information see here.