As announced in June 2023, RTL Hungary is now the home of the UEFA Champions League matches for three years, starting with the 2024/25 season. “We changed the playing field“, said Gabriella Vidus, CEO of RTL Hungary, about their decision to move most of the matches to streaming service RTL+.

By taking on this pioneering role, RTL Hungary is offering a refreshed and more flexible viewing experience for fans. Moreover, with the 2026 Champions League final taking place in Budapest, the company will be able to provide viewers with a special experience on linear TV and streaming service RTL+.

One week after the kick-off, we spoke to Balázs Szabó, Chief Content Management Officer at RTL Hungary. He discussed RTL Hungary’s motivation behind acquiring the rights to the “crown jewel of sports broadcasting”, the general atmosphere within the team and the initial reactions from viewers.

1. How have the first days of showing the UEFA Champions League been for RTL Hungary? Can you share the general feeling and atmosphere within the team and from the viewers?

A few weeks ago, we promised to bring the UEFA Champions League closer to Hungarian fans than ever before. This week, we finally delivered on that promise. Previously, Hungarian fans have never had the opportunity to follow all UEFA Champions League matches with Hungarian commentary on one platform. RTL Hungary made sporting history by broadcasting all 18 matches of the first round live on streaming platform RTL+ on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Of course, the fact that RTL+ has never had so many subscribers in Hungary as in these days also contributes to the positive mood. This is a strong response from viewers.

2. What motivated RTL Hungary to acquire the broadcasting rights for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history? How does this decision fit into the company’s broader strategy for sports broadcasting and streaming?

At RTL Hungary, our business and content decisions are always based on consumer habits and market trends. We have analysed the trends and observed abroad that live sports broadcasts are increasingly moving to streaming platforms. The acquisition of the UEFA Champions League, a crown jewel of sports broadcasting, strengthens our position and provides long-term stability for RTL+ with this three-season contract.

RTL Hungary is taking on a pioneering role, and from a business perspective, we have concluded that this investment is worthwhile. Live sports broadcasting aligns perfectly with our content strategy.

Another positive development, which we were secretly expecting, is now official: With Budapest hosting the 2026 Champions League Final, RTL Hungary will be part of one of the world's biggest sporting events as a broadcaster.

3. What technological innovations have you implemented to enhance the viewing experience for the matches? Can viewers expect any exclusive programming or special features?

Thanks to our digital platform, all UEFA Champions League matches will be available with Hungarian commentary, which was not previously the case, as only some of the matches running at the same time could be selected on linear channels. RTL+ offers football fans more than ever before, with 192 matches available on the platform.

In terms of picture quality, we have upgraded to a higher standard, 1080p50 (FullHD), a much better format for watching matches on large screens. This format captures the fast-moving action of sports broadcasts more effectively. Another important technological innovation is that our subscribers can now re-watch matches on RTL+.

In addition to formats provided by UEFA, we are also preparing a variety of extras. Fans can look forward to weekly in-house produced programmes, where our presenters and experts will analyse the most important moments and bring viewers closer to the events.

4. Tell us more about the team behind the scenes. How many colleagues are involved in such a large project and in which departments do they work?

This is currently one of the largest projects at RTL Hungary, involving almost all areas of the company. Under the leadership of the sports editorial team, we have assembled a new team of commentators, presenters and professionals to start the season.

5. Could you share a personal anecdote or a memorable moment from the process of preparing for the Champions League?

A major milestone was our press conference on 12 July, where we brought the official Champions League trophy to Budapest. It was an unprecedented opportunity to see the trophy up close, and it's no exaggeration to say that the entire Hungarian sports press showed interest in this event.

The European Super Cup final was another important event, marking the debut of our renewed sports studio. Thanks to the support of our professional team and behind-the-scenes staff, we could broadcast this prestigious match in a quality befitting the event. We have been preparing for this event for months, and the new studio and our team exceeded all our expectations.