The Premier League has today made available to interested parties two separate Invitations to Tender for its UK live/near live rights and free-to-air highlights rights for the four Seasons 2025/26-2028/29.
These documents describe the packages of UK rights the Premier League is now inviting bids for:
- Live audio-visual rights to a total of c.270 matches per season - split into five Live Packages
- Near live audio-visual rights to the remaining c.110 matches per season and short form clip rights to all 380 matches per season, and
- A Free-to-Air Highlights Package including coverage of all 380 matches per season
Live Packages
The live rights consist of five Live Packages of c.42-65 matches per season.
No single buyer will be allowed to acquire more than four of the five Live Packages being sold.
The Live Packages include provision for all matches in five midweek rounds per season, and the final match round in each season (when all matches are played simultaneously), to be broadcast live.
The current established kick-off slots of Saturday 12.30 and 17.30, Sunday 14.00 and 16.30 as well as one of 20.00 on a Monday (or Friday) are being maintained and will each be linked to one of the five Live Packages.
The increased number of matches creates a compelling offering for broadcasters and fans, while allowing for the continued protection of the Saturday 15.00 "closed period", the purpose of which is to encourage attendances and participation at all levels of the sport at the traditional time at which English football takes place across the country.
For the first time, all matches displaced to Sunday 14.00, because of club participation in European competitions, will be broadcast live.
Near Live Package
Within the same ITT for live audio-visual rights, the Premier League is also offering a single Near Live Package encompassing:
- Near-live long-form rights to c.110 non-live matches per season, for linear and on-demand exploitation, and
- Short-form clips rights to all 380 matches per season
Highlights Package
The Premier League is offering its Free-to-Air Highlights Package via a separate ITT. The Highlights Package includes the right to make free-to-air broadcasts of highlights programme including coverage of all 380 matches per Season and includes catch-up rights as well as certain digital rights.