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ARD Secures Tour de France Rights Through 2028 as ZDF Plans 2027 Return

The pact signals a full return to joint ARDZDF Tour coverage in Germany.

Overview

  • A rights deal announced Friday between SportA and ASO locks in German public‑service broadcast rights for the Tours through 2028.
  • ARD will air the 2026 men's Tour live every day from July 4 to 26 across TV, radio and online, with Saarländischer Rundfunk as the lead unit.
  • The agreement includes the Tour de France Femmes, with ARD carrying live coverage from August 1 to 9 on its main channel and in the ARD Mediathek.
  • ZDF will rejoin live coverage of the men's and women's Tours in 2027 after leaving in 2011 over doping concerns, under the same contract running to 2028.
  • The package also covers the Deutschland Tour and one‑day classics such as the Cyclassics Hamburg and Paris‑Roubaix, with 2026 Deutschland Tour stages split between ARD (August 20, 22) and ZDF (August 21, 23).