BeIN confirmed in a statement on Friday that it had won the rights. It did not say how much it paid but described the price as "reasoned and thought-through." Canal+ declined to comment.

L'Equipe also reported that TF1, France's biggest TV broadcaster, obtained the right to show the final of the sport's most-watched club competition.

The sum paid by Canal+ and BeIN is higher than the 315 million euros a year RMC Sport paid for the rights up to 2021. RMC is part of SFR, the telecoms group owned by Altice Europe.

Before that, the Champions League rights had been held by Canal+ and BeIN.

(Reporting by Henri-Pierre Andre and Mathieu Rosemain; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Christian Lowe; Editing by Alexander Smith)