Wales autumn international matches move to new subscription channel
WALES’ autumn international rugby matches will be shown live on TNT Sports this year.
The broadcaster announced on Monday morning that it will show every match involving the home nations in November “exclusively”, starting with England v New Zealand on November 2.
There will also be three Friday night matches as part of the deal, including Ireland v New Zealand on November 8.
It’s understood talks are being held about S4C providing Welsh-language coverage that would be free to air, although no deal is done yet.
Wales are yet to announce their autumn fixtures, although games against South Africa, Australia and possibly Georgia are expected.
The November matches have been broadcast by Amazon Prime Video since 2020, with the Six Nations countries deciding to sell rights to their games collectively since 2019. The streaming giant reportedly did not bid for the games this time, leaving the way clear for TNT.
The broadcaster, which was formerly BT Sport, has a longstanding rugby tradition, showing English Premiership and European club matches.
TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, Uefa Champions League,
Uefa Europa League, Uefa Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE.
The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+.
The 2024 and 2025 series will be the last in their current format, with the new 12-team global Nations Championship starting in 2026.
Commenting on the partnership with TNT Sports, Tom Harrison, CEO of Six Nations Rugby, said: “This year’s Autumn Nations Series stands to be an unbelievable experience on and off the pitch, by bringing together fans from all over the world to enjoy the best that international rugby has to offer.
“It is a significant moment to welcome TNT Sports into our broadcast family of international rugby for the first time, given our commitment to deliver the best possible experience for fans.”