The BBC has lost the rights to two major sporting events which are now set to be shown on different channels from 2026
The BBC has faced another setback in sports broadcasting, losing the rights to two prestigious events. The Commonwealth Games and the Boat Race, both longstanding staples of BBC coverage, will move to different broadcasters in 2026, with TNT Sports securing the Commonwealth Games rights.
Although the BBC competed for the Glasgow event, it was outbid by the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned channel. This represents a major shift, as the corporation has televised the Games since 1954.
The BBC released a statement: “The BBC has been proud to broadcast the Commonwealth Games over many years, but our bid was unable to match the financial offer from the market. We wish them every success for next year.”
Channel 4 has acquired coverage of the Boat Race. This annual rowing competition between Oxford and Cambridge universities on the Thames is amongst Britain’s most historic sporting occasions, first held in 1829, reports the Mirror.
Initially televised in 1938, the BBC has shown most of these races, with ITV briefly holding the rights from 2005 to 2009. Channel 4’s agreement, beginning this year, will include the Women’s Boat Race centenary in 2027 and the Men’s Boat Race bicentenary in 2029.
Last year’s race saw a surge in viewership, with the women’s event becoming the most-watched female sporting spectacle of 2025 at that point. An impressive 2.8 million viewers tuned into BBC One’s coverage in April, with the women’s race peaking at 2.18 million.
Despite its dwindling sports offerings, Wimbledon remains the ‘Crown Jewel’ of the BBC’s portfolio, although its contract is due to run out after the 2027 tournament. In a shake-up of broadcasting, TNT Sports, a fresh face on the scene, has now taken up the mantle of airing the iconic tennis championship, securing rights to show highlights from the 2025 tournament.
The channel, formerly known as BT Sport, has stepped into the shoes of Eurosport, which initially inked a five-year deal in 2024. Eurosport disappeared from UK televisions last year when it underwent a rebranding exercise and emerged as part of TNT Sports. Both channels are under the umbrella of Warner Bros. Discovery.
