GENEVA, Jan 16 — The International Olympic Committee announced today that the four Olympic Games between 2026 and 2032 will be broadcast on free-to-air television in Europe.

The IOC said that all media rights in Europe for the summer and winter Games for the period had been awarded to the European Broadcasting Union alliance and Warner Bros. Discovery.

"This new agreement guarantees free-to-air reach for the Games through the EBU’s network of public service broadcasters,” the IOC said in a statement.

The deal covers the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 summer Games, plus the winter Olympics in Milano Cortina 2026 and in 2030, which have yet to be awarded to a host city.

The EBU and Warner Bros. Discovery presented a joint bid to acquire all media rights across 48 territories in Europe, as well as Israel.

The IOC did not put a figure on the deal.

But its president Thomas Bach said: "As the IOC redistributes 90 percent of the revenues it generates, this long-term agreement also provides critical financial stability to the wider sporting movement and ultimately supports the athletes themselves.”

The EBU said that starting in 2026, it will hold free-to-air rights on television and digital platforms.

EBU members will broadcast more than 200 hours of coverage of the summer Olympics and at least 100 hours of the winter Games on television, plus radio coverage, live streaming and reporting across online and social media platforms, it said.

"Sport should be for everyone,” EBU director general Noel Curran said in the statement.

"We need public service media to bring audiences together to enjoy big national moments, to inspire the next generation of athletes and to grow fan-bases for new and emerging sports.” — AFP