Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD) will become the sole UK broadcaster of the Tour de France from 2026, marking the end of live free-to-air coverage of the prestigious cycling event in the country.
Under the current arrangement, WBD shares broadcasting rights with ITV4, providing coverage of both the men’s and women’s events through its Eurosport channel. However, the new exclusivity deal, negotiated with the Tour’s organizers, means British audiences will no longer have access to live terrestrial coverage starting in 2026—a departure from a tradition that dates back to the 1980s.
ITV, which first acquired the broadcast rights from Channel 4 in 2001, will air its final Tour de France in 2025. This 25th consecutive year will conclude ITV’s involvement, after which WBD’s new agreement will extend through to 2030. WBD’s sports portfolio also includes TNT Sports, as well as other major outlets like HBO and CNN, underscoring its ongoing investment in sports media.
Trojan Paillot, WBD’s head of sports rights acquisitions, emphasized the company’s long-standing dedication to cycling. “We have been trusted custodians of cycling for many years and have worked diligently to expand fans’ access to the sport,” he said. “Our commitment has led us to acquire the most comprehensive live rights portfolio, encompassing every men’s and women’s Grand Tour race. We’re thrilled to extend our partnership with ASO [Amaury Sport Organisation, the race organizer] and EBU [European Broadcasting Union] into our fifth decade, bringing the Tour de France and other premier races to fans.”
ITV declined to comment on the news when approached. However, Tour de France presenter Matt Rendell expressed his reaction on X (formerly Twitter), posting: “2025 is to be ITV’s last Tour de France. Surprised (no free-to-air for London 2027??). Slightly in shock.”
Rendell also reflected on the end of an era for ITV’s coverage, particularly the absence of host Gary Imlach, who has become synonymous with the channel’s Tour de France programming. “Not just Gary: lots of other people are synonymous with Channel 4/ITV’s coverage. Speaking personally, I’ve had a good run,” he wrote, hinting at the uncertain future for the network’s Tour-related staff.
Meanwhile, British Cycling confirmed in September that it is in discussions to bring the Tour’s Grand Départ back to the UK in 2027, potentially signaling a new chapter for British fans despite the loss of free-to-air access.
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