CBS Sports Inks Multi-Platform Rights Deal with English Football League
The multiyear agreement provides the widest distribution of EFL ever in the U.S.
![Picture of players with EFL and Paramount logos](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vMxW58BaFktY6TGHiaAXy-320-75.png)
NEW YORK—CBS Sports and the English Football League (EFL) have announced an exclusive, multi-year, multi-platform rights agreement that will see CBS Sports offer the widest distribution of EFL matches ever in the United States.
As part of the deal, CBS Sports will air at least 250 EFL matches each season across the Championship, League One, League Two, Carabao Cup and Bristol Street Motors Trophy beginning in August and continuing through the end of the 2027/28 season. Matches will air on Paramount+ with select matches airing on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network.
With 1,891 scheduled matches (fixtures) each season, the EFL is home to some of the most respected, popular and successful football competitions in the world. At the end of the 2023/24 season, the EFL ranked as the highest-attended League body in Europe with 21.5 million fans welcomed through the turnstiles for a Championship, League One or League Two fixture.
“The exciting action and prestige of the EFL, as the oldest league in the world, adds tremendous value to CBS Sports’ premium soccer portfolio,” said Dan Weinberg, executive vice president, programming, CBS Sports. “With the EFL’s compelling storylines and growing popularity coupled with our first-class coverage, we look forward to further elevating this league in the U.S. CBS Sports continues to be the premier destination for European football fans in this country with Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network as must-haves with their wide array of soccer properties and robust year-round match coverage.”
“Appetite for football in the North American markets has been growing year on year, and this partnership with CBS Sports and their leadership in covering the sport marks a significant milestone,” said Trevor Birch, CEO at the EFL. “The EFL is already broadcast to a global audience of 400 million across 182 territories, beaming into more than 250 million homes outside of the UK. We believe that American fans will embrace the excitement, tradition, and competitiveness that is embodied by our EFL competitions. This is an exciting time for the League and our Clubs, and we look forward to sharing our matches with viewers across the United States.”
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George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.