Sky : Italia secures UEFA Champions & Europa Leagues

Sky secures exclusive rights to UEFA Champions League and Europa League in Italy

Sky Italia has secured exclusive live rights to all UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches from the 2018/19 season through to 2020/21, significantly strengthening Sky's position as the leading sports content provider in Italy.

This is great news for Sky's customers and football fans in Italy:

· Sky has acquired exclusive TV rights to over 340 matches on all platforms;

· The new Champions League format will feature four Italian teams (up from two plus one at qualifiers in the current format) increasing the minimum number of games featuring Italian teams by c.70% (vs the average over the last five years)

· The TV viewing experience will get better and better as we launch Sky Q in Italy in 2018, enabling the most important games to be broadcast in stunning Ultra HD.

Andrea Zappia, Sky Italia CEO: 'We are extremely pleased with this result. For the first time ever the Champions League and Europa League will be available together in an exclusive integrated offer that will allow fans to view up to seven Italian teams, more than ever before, competing against the best clubs in Europe. We will continue our track record of innovation as we look to launch Sky Q in Italy next year and broadcast the most important games in UHD. This further enhances Sky's position as the leading sports service in Italy with Formula 1, Moto GP and NBA basketball, sitting alongside a globally recognized slate of entertainment content, including Gomorrah, The Young Pope and 1993, which are exported to more than 170 countries'.