DFB TV Rights in Flux: National Team, Women's World Cup, and DFB-Pokal Deals Through 2032

As the 2026-2032 broadcast rights cycle approaches, the DFB is actively negotiating key media deals for German football. Currently, broadcasting for 60 German national team matches through 2028 is secured, with RTL covering 30 games and ARD and ZDF broadcasting 15 matches each. Each match's rights cost approximately €6.25 million. Looking ahead, UEFA plans to auction the 2028-2032 broadcast rights in the first quarter of 2026. This auction will include new packages such as the Tuesday Champions League top match, presently held by Prime Video. Major contenders for these rights include current holders, Sat.1, and international platforms like Netflix and Disney+. UEFA's target revenue for European club competition rights is an ambitious €5 billion annually, up from the current €3.7 billion in TV rights alone (source 141162).

Parallelly, ARD and ZDF are close to securing the free-to-air rights for 30 live matches of the 2027 Women's World Cup, complementing Telekom's existing pay-TV coverage. The DFB-Pokal rights for 2026-2030 have been successfully sold to ARD, ZDF, and RTL, with finals shared among these broadcasters. Additionally, preparations to auction the 3. Liga broadcast rights are underway, as Telekom's current contract extends only until 2026/27. The DFB aims to enhance national media revenue through these auctions (source 141162).

This evolving broadcast landscape reflects the DFB's strategy to maximize coverage and revenue across men's, women's, and lower-division German football, amid increasing competition from international streaming services and traditional broadcasters.