RTL To Air German National Soccer Team Matches Through 2028
RTL has secured the most extensive international match package in its history from UEFA. RTL and RTL+ will air live broadcasts of matches from the UEFA Nations League and the European Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 European Championship. The first of these will be the German team’s matches in the UEFA Nations League against Italy and Hungary in June.
In the years ahead, no other German TV channel will broadcast as many international matches from the German national football team as RTL Deutschland. RTL Television and UEFA have agreed the most extensive international match package in RTL Deutschland’s history. It includes half of all the German national team’s League A international matches until 2028 in the UEFA Nations League and in the European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2028, plus test matches for coach Hansi Flick’s team and UEFA Nations League final round matches, including matches without German participation. The action starts in June, when Germany faces Italy and Hungary in the group stage of the UEFA Nations League. RTL will broadcast the matches live on free TV and via livestream on RTL+ at 8:15 p.m. on June 4 and 11.
The acquisition of the international match rights is part of RTL Deutschland’s strategy to generate additional growth by expanding its content business in both linear TV and streaming. RTL also holds the full rights to the European Cup competitions UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League, as well as an extensive motorsports package that includes selected Formula 1 races and the 24-hour races from Le Mans and the Nürburgring.
“Sports are as much a part of RTL as independent news and positive entertainment. And soccer is one of the brightly glowing campfires of our time, especially when the German national team is playing,” Matthias Dang and Stephan Schäfer, co-CEOs RTL Deutschland, were quoted as saying in a joint statement. “We are delighted to accompany the path of Hansi Flick’s team for many years to come with this major rights package.”
RTL will accompany the German national team on its way to its home-turf European Championship in 2024 and will also itself cover 17 matches of the major tournament hosted in Germany. In March 2021, RTL Deutschland and Deutsche Telekom had already agreed to sublicense 14 matches from the group stage, two round of 16 finals and one quarterfinal for exclusive free-TV broadcast on RTL and via livestream on RTL+. In addition, extensive highlights, on-demand, and news access rights will enable RTL Deutschland to report on all 51 UEFA EURO 2024 matches across all channels and platforms.
UEFA Marketing Director Guy-Laurent Epstein said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with RTL for the German national team long term through 2028.” He said UEFA is convinced that RTL will provide an excellent TV and digital platform for fans of the German national team, and looks forward to exciting evenings of soccer on RTL.
