Coverage of the Olympic Games will remain free-to-air with RTÉ until at least 2032 after a new joint partnership with the European Broadcasting Union and Warner Bros Discovery.

The deal means RTÉ will continue to broadcast the Games across all platforms on the back of a hugely successful Toyko 2020 edition.

The International Olympic Committee has awarded all European media rights for the four Games post-Paris to the EBU and Warner/Discovery.

It includes the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane summer games, as well as winter editions in Milan / Cortina in 2026 and 2030.

The rights for Paris in 2024 have already been secured as part of a previous rights package RTÉ had through Warner Bros Discovery.

Under the terms of the new agreement, it guarantees to offer free-to-air coverage of the Olympics across all 49 of its European territories, including Ireland, for the next decade.

RTÉ Sport will broadcast more than 200 hours of coverage of the summer games and 100 hours of the winter games on free-to-air television together with extensive coverage online and on radio.

RTÉ has been the broadcast rights holder for Irish coverage since the first Olympic television coverage in Ireland in 1964 during the Tokyo Olympic Games, with RTÉ being one of only 40 countries worldwide to show the event. Brisbane 2032 will be the 18th Olympic Games to be broadcast on Irish television.

RTÉ's director general Dee Forbes has hailed the agreement as a positive step in inspiring support of Irish athletes: "We are delighted to secure rights to the next three Olympic Games ensuring that Irish audiences have free to air access to this major international sporting event until 2032.

"The Olympics always captures the Irish public's hearts and minds as we gather to support our athletes on the international stage and feel pride in their many hugely successful performances and achievements.

"We hope that these achievements will continue to grow as we look forward to continuing our comprehensive coverage in Paris 2024 and beyond, supporting Team Ireland and sharing the moments that will inspire future generations."

EBU director general Noel Curran praised the nature of the deal which will bring the Games to an audience of over a billion: "We are delighted to have secured the Olympic Games rights on behalf of RTÉ and our family of public service media members. This deal demonstrates the continued strength of public service broadcasters on the global stage of sport.

"Sport should be for everyone, and we need public service media to bring all audiences together to enjoy the big national moments, inspire the next generation of athletes and grow fanbases for new and emerging sports.

"By working together, public service broadcasters have the potential to bring the Games to over one billion people across the continent free-to-air. No other media brand can guarantee so much multi-platform exposure to so many people. And that's why I’m delighted to welcome this partnership which will ensure the Games are available to the widest possible audience across Europe."