The KO tournament will be shown on TVE.
Spanish fans will be able to follow the Cup of His Majesty the King openly on television after the RFEF placed the rights in the hands of RTVE. The Audiovisual Rights Management Body confirmed an agreement to award lot 1B of the Copa de SM el Rey tender to RTVE, granting the broadcaster the rights to air the tournament for three years, from 2022 through 2025.
On Monday, November 7, the RFEF revealed which channels will carry the matches from the first round of the Copa del Rey. Viewers in Spain can tune in to a combination of public and private platforms to catch the live action.
Where to watch the Copa del Rey 2022/2023 matches live: TVE, La 1, Teledeporte, Movistar, online streaming and TV channels
RTVE offers 15 matches of the Copa open
As part of the award, RTVE plans to broadcast fifteen Copa del Rey games each season free-to-air. Specifically, RTVE will show two matches in every round, both legs of the semi-finals, and the final, ensuring a broad audience can follow the competition without a subscription. The broadcaster will announce the schedule for the remaining fixtures once the sales process moves into the second phase.
Increase in revenue
In its official statement, the RFEF indicated that the Copa del Rey could generate substantial revenue from the sale of broadcasting rights at national and international levels. Estimates point to a figure well above 120 million euros across the three-year cycle, reflecting a significant rise from the previous earnings. The federation notes a rise from about 15 million euros per season in earlier periods to an average exceeding 40 million euros per year with the new multi-market sales approach.
The Copa del Rey, also on Movistar
In addition, the RFEF approved granting Movistar Plus+ a share of the Copa de SM el Rey rights, ensuring the cup competition will be carried by both Movistar Plus+ and RTVE through the 2025 season. Movistar Plus+ will broadcast at least 55 matches each season, with 45 of those being exclusive. The agreement specifies exclusive coverage for the second match of certain rounds, the fifth match and beyond, plus exclusive rights to the semi-finals and the final, while the fourth match and some others may be simulcast with RTVE.
These arrangements create multiple viewing options for fans across platforms, while offering broadcasters the opportunity to maximize reach and revenue through coordinated scheduling and strategic exclusivity.