RTP scores Taça da Liga rights deal

Portuguese public-service broadcaster RTP has acquired rights to domestic club football competition the Taça da Liga.

The agreement with the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional covers the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons of the cup competition and includes rights to eight games per tournament.

RTP will broadcast five games from the third round of the Taça da Liga, as well as the semi finals and final, which from this season will be played in a ‘Final Four’ format in the same week in late January.

The games will also be broadcast on the RTP África and RTP Internacional channels to reach markets outside Portugal.

Commercial broadcaster TVI was the Taça da Liga’s previous rights holder. Portuguese newspaper Expresso said RTP will pay €800,000 ($905,000) per season for its rights contract.

Benfica is the reigning Taça da Liga champion having defeated Marítimo 6-2 in the 2015-16 final.