It’s a good day for football fans in the United States! CBS Sports has announced an exclusive multi-year, multi-platform rights agreement with the English Football League (EFL). The world’s original league football competition is the largest single body of professional clubs in European football. It includes staples such as the Sky Bet EFL, Carabao Cup, Bristol Street Motors Trophy, and reserve and youth football.
This deal will bring matches to Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, and CBS Sports Golazo Network – the widest distribution of the EFL ever in the United States.
This news comes on the heels of other exciting announcements for soccer fans in the States, including but not limited to Welcome to Wrexham’s early Season 4 renewal, a Christian Pulisic docuseries coming to Paramount+, and Ali Krieger and Sebastian Salazar hosting Futbol W, a new one-hour news program about women’s soccer, for ESPN+.
Trevor Birch, chief executive officer at the EFL, said the following about the EFL’s new agreement with CBS Sports:
“Appetite for football in the North American markets has been growing year on year, and this partnership with CBS Sports and their leadership in covering the sport marks a significant milestone. The EFL is already broadcast to a global audience of 400 million across 182 territories, beaming into more than 250 million homes outside of the UK. We believe that American fans will embrace the excitement, tradition, and competitiveness that is embodied by our EFL competitions. This is an exciting time for the League and our Clubs, and we look forward to sharing our matches with viewers across the United States.”
CBS Sports is set to air at least 250 EFL matches each season across the Championship, League One, League Two, Carabao Cup, and Bristol Street Motors Trophy beginning in August and continuing through the end of the 2027-28 season. Opening weekend coverage starts on Friday, August 9, and features EFL Championship and League One action from Birmingham City, Burnley, Leeds United, Wrexham, Swansea City, and more. Carabao Cup Round One matches kick off on Tuesday, August 13, and Wednesday, August 14, with Premier League clubs joining the action in Round Two.
CBS Sports live EFL coverage will feature a minimum of 155 Championship matches, a minimum of 38 League One and League Two matches, all 15 Play-Off matches, a minimum of 30 Carabao Cup matches, and three Bristol Street Motors Trophy matches. CBS Sports can select more matches for broadcast but must do so no later than two weeks before kickoff. The EFL Clubs will still be able to stream the remaining fixtures for international fans.
The matches will air on Paramount+, with select ones on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network. In the upcoming weeks, CBS Sports will announce additional matches and studio coverage details for the start of the 2024-25 EFL season.
CBS Sports’ opening weekend Sky Bet EFL coverage (all times in ET):
Friday, August 9:
- Blackburn Rovers vs. Derby County at 3:00 PM on Paramount+ CBS Sports Network
- Preston North End vs. Sheffield United at 3:00 PM on Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network
Saturday, August 10
- Oxford United vs. Norwich City at 7:30 AM on Paramount+
- Leeds United vs. Portsmouth at 7:30 AM on Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network
- Middlesbrough vs. Swansea City at 7:30 AM on Paramount+
- Cardiff City vs. Sunderland at 7:30 AM on Paramount+
- Queens Park Rangers vs. West Bromwich Albion at 7:30 AM on Paramount+ CBS Sports Network
- Milton Keynes Dons vs. Bradford City at 10:00 AM on Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network
- Birmingham City vs. Reading at 12:30 PM on Paramount+
- Wrexham vs. Wycombe Wanderers at 12:30 PM on Paramount+ & CBS Sports Network
Sunday, August 11
- Sheffield Wednesday vs. Plymouth Argyle at 11:00 AM on Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network
Monday, August 12
- Luton Town vs. Burnley at 3:00 PM on Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network
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Which EFL matches are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments below!
CBS Sports’ coverage of the EFL kicks off on Friday, August 9.
