UEFA have reportedly struck a mammoth deal with major broadcasters to televise its club tournaments in the USA.
An agreement with TV giants CBS, Paramount and Viacom is said to be in place to the tune of $1.5billion (£1.2bn) - one of the most lucrative broadcast deals in sporting history. Broken down, the rights will be worth $250m (£211m) over six years, according to The Athletic.
UEFA 's previous package with Paramount and Univision was worth $100m (£84.5m), ensuring a marked increase in value for the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League. The development is sure to catch the eye of both Celtic and Rangers, who could both compete in this season's group stage. As last term's Premiership champions, Ange Postecoglou's side are already guaranteed a seat at the table for the coming campaign, while Rangers can join them by beating PSV Eindhoven in their playoff second leg on Wednesday.
The new deal will begin from the 2024/25 season, which coincides with the introduction of sweeping changes to the Champions League's format. From 2024, the competition will be expanded to 36 teams with more group stage fixtures added.
Known as the "Swiss model", teams will compete in a single league format and play either eight or 10 matches against opponents based on seeding. The top 16 clubs will then advance to the knockout stage.
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