Al Jazeera takes French Champions League rights

Al Jazeera has been awarded the French broadcasting rights for the majority of Champions League matches for the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons.

The Qatar-based broadcaster beat pay TV operator Canal Plus to four out of five media rights packages. According to French press reports, Al Jazeera agreed to pay €61 million per year to air 133 matches live across its television channels, internet and mobile services, nearly double the €31 million previously paid by Canal Plus.

European football governing body UEFA still has to sell rights to 13 ‘premium’ matches per year. French broadcaster TF1 paid €25 million for rights to the top matches for the current season.