This news comes as a surprise to fans: one FC Bayern match will be shown live on free-to-air TV as early as next week, thanks to a short-term new rights agreement between Sky and RTL
Time and again, individual matches from the Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 make it onto free-to-air television – usually at the start of the season or as part of special sub-licenses. Now Sky and RTL have once again agreed on such a collaboration. The private broadcaster will be allowed to broadcast a total of two Bundesliga matches on free-to-air TV, one from the first and one from the second half of the season
The timing is remarkable, as the first match is already coming up very soon. RTL will broadcast the match between 1. FC Köln and FC Bayern live on Wednesday, 14 January, kicking off at 8.30 p.m. The match will also be shown on Sky Sport Bundesliga at the same time, as usual
RTL shows 1. FC Köln vs. FC Bayern live
A second Bundesliga match will follow a few weeks later. On February 13, RTL will show the Friday evening match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FSV Mainz 05, also from 8.30 p.m. Here too, RTL will take over the commentary from the Sky production
The short-term transfer of rights is part of an extended content partnership between Sky and RTL. RTL was already allowed to broadcast three Bundesliga 2 conferences per season on free-to-air TV. The next one is scheduled for 18 January, when the Sunday matches with the games 1. FC Kaiserslautern against Hannover 96, VfL Bochum against Darmstadt 98 and Holstein Kiel against SC Paderborn will be shown from 1.30 pm
RTL+ will also continue to offer selected top matches from the English Premier League. The broadcaster is satisfied with the broadcasts to date and hopes that the additional Bundesliga matches will generate further strong viewing figures. For Bayern fans, this means one thing above all: the record champions‘ competitive match in Cologne can be seen live on free TV without a subscription.