ITV Extends Premiership Rugby Broadcast Deal to 2028 | Free-to-Air Coverage

ITV and PREM Rugby have announced an extension to their broadcast partnership, securing free-to-air coverage of the domestic rugby competition for an additional two seasons. The agreement covers the 2026/27 and 2027/28 seasons, continuing a relationship that began five years ago.

Continued Free-to-Air Access

Under the terms of the deal, ITV will broadcast seven live matches each season, including the Premiership Rugby Final, on both ITV1 and ITVX. This will result in a total of 14 live matches being shown over the two seasons. All matches broadcast on ITV will also be simulcast on TNT Sports, which currently holds the primary broadcasting rights.

Did You Know? The most recent Premiership Rugby Final achieved a combined audience of 1.3 million viewers across ITV and TNT Sports, capturing a 16.5% share of UK television viewing at the time.

Expanding Rugby Portfolio

This renewal is part of a broader strategy by ITV Sport to expand its rugby coverage. ITV already holds the rights to broadcast all England matches in the UK from 2026 as part of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship. Niall Sloane, Director of ITV Sport, stated that the Gallagher PREM delivers “world-class rugby” and that the extension allows ITV to continue providing free-to-air rugby to UK audiences.

Expert Insight: Maintaining free-to-air access to major sporting events like Premiership Rugby is increasingly important given ongoing discussions around broadcast rights and accessibility for fans in the UK. This deal reflects a commitment to balancing commercial interests with the public’s ability to view key competitions.

Ollie Lewis, Head of Broadcast for PREM Rugby, highlighted the value of combining free-to-air access with coverage of the Six Nations to showcase the league’s players to a wider audience. The agreement acknowledges the importance of broadcast accessibility within the UK’s media policy frameworks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the duration of the new broadcast agreement?

The agreement between ITV and PREM Rugby covers the 2026/27 and 2027/28 seasons.

How many matches will ITV broadcast each season?

ITV will broadcast seven live matches per season, including the Premiership Rugby Final.

Where else will these matches be shown?

All Premiership Rugby matches shown on ITV will also be simulcast on TNT Sports.

As the partnership continues, it remains to be seen how audience figures may evolve and whether further expansion of coverage is likely to occur, potentially including additional matches or enhanced programming.