Optus increases premium football content securing EUFA coverage

Optus has put their disastrous World Cup 2018 coverage aside and managed to secure Australian broadcast and transmission rights to the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup for the next three years.

The UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious international club competition in the world and Optus Sport will show every match live starting with the playoffs this August, followed by all group stage matches live, starting in September 2018 and continuing through until the final in 2019.

The telco will continue to provide Optus Sport at no cost until August 31 with SBS still expected to show a certain number of Champions League matches on free-to-air.

These announcements mean Optus Sport will now offer an enormous range of premium European football, including the live Australian rights to:

• Premier League 2018/19 -2021/22
• FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019 and other FIFA events
• UEFA Nations League 2018 and 2020
• UEFA Euro 2020
• UEFA Super Cup 2018-2020
• UEFA Champions League 2018/19- 2020/21
• UEFA Nations League Final 2019 and 2021
• UEFA Europa League 2018/19- 2020/21
• European Qualifiers for Euro 2020
• European Qualifiers for 2022 FIFA World Cup
• Selected international friendlies played in Europe by UEFA teams 2018-2022

Optus Managing Director Marketing and Product Ben White said, “This is an incredibly exciting time for Optus as we continue to build upon our strategy of delivering elite international football and exclusive content for customers.

“Adding these tournaments and elite football matches to Optus Sport provides our customers with more than double the live premium football content compared to this time last year.”

UEFA Director of Marketing Guy-Laurent Epstein added, “We are excited to partner with Optus in the territory of Australia.

“Optus has proven its dedication to football in recent years, acquiring a considerable portfolio of premium footballing content.

“We look forward to seeing the way in which Optus builds the UEFA club competition brands in the territory and makes the competitions available for fans in Australia.”

Over the next 12 months the programming slate for Optus Sport now includes every match of the Premier League season, every match of the UEFA Champions League, the new UEFA Nations League, every match of the UEFA Europa League, the first ever Nations League finals tournament and every match of the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

“We have a clear vision for Optus Sport and our newly acquired rights highlight our confidence in our platforms as well as our production and approach,” Mr White said.

“We are fully committed to our long-term strategy of delivering must-have exclusive content for customers and will continue to build our credentials of delivering an excellent viewing experience for customers across the Optus Sport platforms.”