Channel 5, the free-to-air (FTA) UK broadcaster, has sub-licensed a package of top-tier road cycling rights from pay-TV's TNT Sports.
A multi-year deal between the two parties is now in place, through which Paramount Skydance-owned Channel 5 will show highlights of each of the sport's iconic Grand Tours – the Tour de France, Vuelta a España, and Giro d'Italia.
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The broadcaster will air daily FTA highlights for the Tour de France and Vuelta a España across the 2026-28 cycle, and for the Giro between 2027 and 2029.
In addition, it will air the Grand Depart for both the men's TDF and the women's Tour de France Femmes in 2027, with both of those events to be held in the UK.
TNT Sports, owned by media and entertainment heavyweight Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), holds Grand Tour coverage across Europe and in the UK for the 2026-30 cycle. A deal to that effect was unveiled in late October, with the Eurosport channels also owned by WBD having closed early last year, TNT and the HBO Max streaming platform are now the only sources of live Grand Tour coverage in the UK.
Eurosport also covered the TDF for the 2020-25 cycle, as did commercial terrestrial broadcaster ITV.
This deal has been unveiled ahead of the 2026 TDF, which will run between July 4 and 26. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will then follow from August 1 to 9, with the 2026 Vuelta running from August 22 to September 13.
Last year, 11 British riders started the 2025 TDF.
Reemah Sakaan, president of 5, has commented: "The Grand Tours are the most prestigious cycling events in the world, watched and adored by millions, and we are delighted that 5 will be their new free-to-air home in the UK.
"This new deal with TNT Sports reflects our long-term commitment to bringing brilliant coverage of the world’s best sporting events to millions of viewers and providing access to premium audiences for advertisers.”
In terms of recent sports rights activity, Channel 5 and WBD have already collaborated this month – early June saw a deal signed through which 5 will produce a daily highlights program from the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
WBD agreed a sublicensing deal with 5, ending the 72-year relationship between that event and the BBC, the UK's public-service broadcaster.
Glasgow 2026 will take place between July 23 and August 2, with the event to include only 10 sports and six para sports.
Scott Young, executive vice president for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, added: "By combining a strong free-to-air highlights offering with our comprehensive live coverage, we are delivering unprecedented access to the sport across every platform.
"Expanding reach and engaging new audiences across our rights portfolio remains a key strategic priority, and partnerships such as this play an important role in achieving that ambition."
This deal also comes hot on the heels of TG4, the Irish-language public-service broadcaster, announcing a five-year rights extension in that market for the TDF, again until 2030.
TG4 will continue to provide Irish-language coverage of the Tour de France, with live coverage of every stage available on the main TG4 channel, TG4 Player, and the TG4 App.
TG4 has held exclusive live television rights to the Tour de France in Ireland since 2005.
