UEFA initiates media rights tender for 2024-27 club competitions cycle in Turkey

European football’s governing body, UEFA, has officially opened the media rights tender for club competitions in the 2024-27 cycle within the Turkish market.

This tender encompasses the highly coveted UEFA Champions League (UCL), the Europa League and the Europa Conference League (to be rebranded as the Conference League from 2024-25).

The tender process, launched on December 21, is managed by Team Marketing, UEFA’s trusted agency for media and commercial rights sales across its club competitions. Interested parties can direct their inquiries to [email protected], with the submission deadline set for January 22.

For the ongoing 2021-22 to 2023-24 cycle, Exxen, a subscription streaming service, and TV8, a free-to-air television channel, hold the media rights for all three UEFA club competitions in Turkey. During the previous cycle, BeIN Sports, the international pay-TV broadcaster affiliated with Digiturk (Turkey’s leading pay-TV operator), held UCL rights from 2018-19 to 2020-21. Concurrently, Saran Media, a prominent Turkish sports rights agency, secured rights to the Europa League.

As the current season unfolds, Galatasaray, the lone Turkish representative in the UCL, exited in the group stages and is now set to compete in the Europa League. Fenerbahce, a local rival, is actively participating in the Conference League.

This move follows UEFA’s recent tender process in sub-Saharan Africa, with bids accepted until December 11. Additionally, a tender for media rights in Albania was launched in early November, expecting offers by December 4. The unfolding developments signify UEFA’s strategic approach to ensuring widespread coverage and engagement for its esteemed club competitions in diverse regions.