Saturday, July 18, 2026

Olympic Media Rights Awarded to Warner Bros. Discovery, EBU

  • The Olympics has secured its European broadcasters through 2032.
  • Warner Bros. Discovery and the European Broadcasting Union signed a new deal with the IOC.
Olympics
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The Olympics have tied down European broadcasters through the next decade.

The International Olympic Committee signed a joint agreement with the European Broadcasting Union and Warner Bros. Discovery covering all European territories from 2026 to 2032.

  • Discovery Communications, which closed its merger with Warner Bros. in April 2022, won European rights to the Olympics in 2015 in a $1.4 billion deal spanning 2018 -2024.
  • Under the new deal, the EBU will offer more than 200 hours of free-to-air coverage of the Summer Games and over 100 for the Winter Games. WBD will be the exclusive pay provider for 49 European territories.
  • The new deal will begin with the Winter Games in Milan in 2026, followed by the Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
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Winter Wondering

The 2032 Games will take place in Brisbane, but the IOC postponed the selection of a 2030 host. Salt Lake City may be the most likely destination, due to complications with both Sapporo and Vancouver.

The IOC is reevaluating its selection process after the effects of climate change reduced the number of viable host cities. The committee may award hosting duties on a rotating basis instead of picking cities one at a time.

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