UK & Ireland: Premier Sports extends TV rights to the BKT United Rugby Championship until 2029

The pay-TV and free-to-air group Premier Sports has extended its rights to broadcast the entire BKT United Rugby Championship in the UK and Ireland for the 2025-2029 cycle (four seasons), announced the URC on 17/04/2025.

Premier Sports, which has been a partner of the URC for "over 10 years", will continue to broadcast the entire competition each season, i.e. 151 matches, 131 of which will be exclusive. "The URC expects to announce a package of free-to-air rights with a UK broadcaster in due course," said the body. The free-to-air rights to the competition are currently held by the public broadcaster the BBC in the UK. Irish broadcaster TG4 has extended its free-to-air rights to the competition in Ireland until 2029.

Premier Sports also holds the UK broadcasting rights to the Investec Champions Cup (full rights), the Challenge Cup (two game per round in the group stage, full rights from the quarter-finals onwards) and the Top 14 (four games per round, play-offs and final).

• In France, the rights to broadcast the BKT United Rugby Championship are held by the multi-sports streaming…