New broadcaster announced for EFL as over 200 matches set to be shown during 2024/25 season

The EFL have announced a 'multi-year, multi-platform' deal with CBS Sports to broadcast matches from all of its three divisions.

The deal will take effect from the upcoming 2024/25 season onwards, with a minimum of 193 matches across the Championship, League One and League Two to be shown by the US broadcaster.

The deal also includes all 15 play-off matches from the three divisions, as well as a minimum of 30 Carabao Cup matches and three matches from the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.

On the opening weekend of the season, a total of 12 matches will be shown, including Leeds vs Portsmouth, Wrexham vs Wycombe and Birmingham vs Reading.

The two Friday evening kick-offs - Blackburn vs Derby and Preston North End vs Sheffield United - will kick off the new deal.

All matches will be shown on the broadcaster's Paramount+ network, with selected matches also broadcast on the CBS Sports and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

It has also been confirmed that CBS Sports 'can select further matches for broadcast, no later than two weeks out'.

The EFL is regularly broadcast in North America through the club-specific iFollow service, which allows fans from outside of the UK to stream live matches.

In 2022, ESPN secured an 'exclusive, multi-year extension' on its original deal to hold media rights for EFL matches in the United States - but they have lost out to CBS after the latest bidding war.

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, 18 EFL clubs are at least part-owned by American investors, including Burnley, Leeds, Portsmouth and Wrexham.

Getty

Upon the announcement of the new CBS deal, EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said in a statement: "The EFL is already broadcast to a global audience of 400 million across 182 territories, beaming into more than 250 million homes outside of the UK.

"We believe that American fans will embrace the excitement, tradition and competitiveness that is embodied by our EFL competitions.

"This is an exciting time for the League and our Clubs, and we look forward to sharing our matches with viewers across the United States."

Crucially for EFL fans, the chief executive of Relevent Sports - who brokered the deal on behalf of the EFL - has told The Athletic that the agreement would not pave the way for games to physically be held in the United States.

Daniel Sillman said: "We didn't discuss any league matches coming over [to the US] with the EFL."