The National Football League and ViacomCBS have forged a new three-year deal that will bring Monday Night Football games to the United Kingdom.
The games, which air in the United States on Disney-owned pay sports channel ESPN, will be free to watch on Channel 5, a digital, over-the-air broadcaster in the country owned by ViacomCBS.
Monday Night Football games will air live on the channel, with commentary and in-game analysis will be conducted by two presenters at Channel 5’s satellite studios in Los Angeles.
Channel 5 previously aired National Football League games from 1998 until 2009. The channel is free to watch on digital broadcast television and free-to-air satellite services, though British households are required by law to pay a $20 a month television license if the watch live programs on TV or online.
“We are very proud to have agreed a new partnership with ViacomCBS and Channel 5,” NFL managing director Sameer Pabari said in a statement. “The range of content available across different time slots and platforms means there is something for everyone, from established fans to those new to the sport.”
With the games airing live on Channel 5, viewers in Britain will be able to access live telecasts early Tuesday morning. The network will also produce a sports magazine show called NFL EndZone that will air on Sunday mornings.
Channel 5 is also broadcast on cable and IPTV in Switzerland and Liechtenstein and is available to members of the British and American armed forces in Germany and Italy via specialized agreements with cable providers there.
