In June 2023, RTL Hungary announced that that it had acquired one of the most valuable football broadcasting rights from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and will be home to the UEFA Champions League matches for three years. In total, RTL Hungary will show 192 matches and, with the 2026 Champions League final taking place in Budapest, will offer viewers a special experience on linear TV and streaming service RTL+.

At a recent press conference in Budapest, RTL Hungary shared further details about the broadcast of the games, which will start from 14 August 2024. Moderated by Gábor Gundel Takács, who also hosts game show The Jump on RTL in Hungary, the event also featured the Champion’s League trophy, which recently arrived in Budapest.

During the press conference, Gabriella Vidus, CEO of RTL Hungary, talked about RTL Hungary’s pioneering role when it comes to sports and streaming – a topic she also addressed in her joint interview with RTL Group Deputy CEO and COO Elmar Heggen earlier this year. "We analysed the trends and we saw that they are increasingly going in this direction in other countries. Sports are moving to streaming. We saw that and we wanted to be the first in Hungary”, said Gabriella at the event. She also admitted that, by acquiring the Champions League rights, they took on a business risks – but after a thorough review, they decided it was worth it.

Gabriella Vidus added: "The passion around football is completely unique, and that alone makes this business decision worthwhile, which is an incredibly promising investment for RTL Hungary. Acquiring the rights to broadcast the UEFA Champions League is one of the long-term strategic decisions we have made together with the leadership of RTL Group. On the other hand, it is a new approach, a challenge and an opportunity for us, and we can see how excited and enthusiastic our colleagues are about working to ensure that viewers can follow the matches in the best quality".

On streaming service RTL+, viewers will have the flexibility to choose which match they would like to see each evening. All 192 matches will be shown with Hungarian commentary and in 1080p50 format, which better captures fast movements, making it more suitable for sports broadcasting. “We are preparing top quality that has never been seen in Hungary”, commented Balázs Szabó, Chief Content Management Officer, on the technological innovations they have been working on.

Besides watching the matches live, RTL+ subscribers will also have the option to re-watch all of the games, which will be complemented by a variety of exclusive programming related to the games. TV viewers won’t be left out either as several matches, including the opening game between Real Madrid and Atalanta and the final in 2025, will be broadcast on linear TV.

At last week’s press conference, RTL Hungary also announced a price increase for streaming service RTL+ from mid-September. However, the annual offer will remain available at the same price.