WBD Sports Europe expands climbing rights
April 3, 2025
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe and the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) have signed a new four-year agreement that will see all IFSC Climbing and Para Climbing World Cup and World Championship events continue to air to fans across Europe exclusively on Max and discovery+.
Viewers will also be able to watch the semi-finals and finals of every World Cup and World Championship event live on WBD’s linear channels – Eurosport across Europe and TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland.
Since 2022, WBD has played a key role in the soaring popularity of Sport Climbing, bringing coverage of the sport to new audiences across Europe in tandem with the expansion of the industry, which is expected to grow by more than 11 per cent over the next eight years. In 2024, Sport Climbing coverage reached millions of viewers on WBD’s platforms, including record-breaking audiences during the Olympic Games Paris 2024. This new agreement between the IFSC will see WBD continue to share the stories of climbing athletes and elevate their profiles as the faces of the sport in the lead-up to the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The 2025 IFSC World Cup series begins with the Boulder events in Keqiao, China on 18 April, featuring the return of 2024 Boulder World Cup winners Natalia Grossman (USA) and Sorato Anraku (Japan).
Trojan Paillot, SVP Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndications at WBD Sports Europe, commented: “We are delighted to renew our partnership with the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). Sport Climbing captivated audiences across our platforms during the Olympic Games in Paris last year, and we’re excited to leverage our extensive reach to build on this momentum and further grow the sport as we look ahead to LA28.”
IFSC President Marco Scolaris, said: “The numbers of eyes from around Europe on our sport through our partnership with WBD is something we are proud of. Climbing, and the heroes of our sport, are in the homes of millions, showcasing the skill and beauty of Climbing. There are still many stories to tell as we head into our third Olympic Games, and this new deal will help ensure they are told.”
Event dates:
18-20 April – Keqiao (CHN) – Boulder
25-27 April – Wuijiang (CHN) – Lead, Speed
2-4 May – Bali (INA) – Lead, Speed
16-18 May – Curitiba (BRA) – Boulder
20-21 May – Salt Lake City (USA) – Lead (Para Climbing World Cup)
23-25 May – Salt Lake City (USA) – Boulder
31 May- 1June – Denver (USA) – Speed
5-8 June – Prague (CZE) – Boulder
12-15 June – Bern (SUI) – Boulder
22-24 June – Innsbruck (AUT) – Lead (Para Climbing World Cup)
25-29 June – Innsbruck (AUT) – Boulder, Lead
5-6 July – Krakow (POL) – Speed
11-13 July – Chamonix (FRA) – Lead, Speed
17-19 July – Madrid (ESP) – Lead
4-6 September – Koper (SLO) – Lead
20-28 September – Seoul (KOR) – All disciplines (World Championships)
23-26 October – Laval (FRA) – Lead (Para Climbing World Cup)
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