ITV has confirmed a new four-year agreement to broadcast exclusive free-to-air coverage of UK horse racing from 2027 through to the end of 2030. The deal includes 117 days of live coverage across ITV1, ITV4, STV and STV Player, with all programming simulcast on ITVX, alongside the continuation of morning show The Opening Show.
The contract ensures that major fixtures such as the Randox Grand National, Royal Ascot, the Cheltenham Festival and the Betfred Derby remain part of ITV’s racing schedule. For all fixtures shown on ITV4, at least five races from the main site will be broadcast.
ITV has previously been recognised for its racing output, winning BAFTA awards in 2018 and 2024. Presenters Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani also received the Broadcast Sports Presenter of the Year award in 2019 at the British Sports Journalism Awards.
The channel reported record performance on ITVX in 2025, with over 15 million streams of horse racing content. Audience peaks this year included 5.2 million viewers for the Grand National, five million across Royal Ascot’s five days, and 1.8 million for the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, its strongest figure in four years. The Derby also achieved its highest audience in two years, peaking at 1.3 million.
The renewed agreement continues ITV’s commitment to horse racing as part of a wider sports rights portfolio, which also covers England men’s and women’s football fixtures, the FIFA World Cup, UEFA EURO 2028, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, British Touring Cars, FIA Formula E, the EFL and the Carabao Cup.
Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: “This is a vital deal for ITV Sport and UK horse racing, ensuring the very best fixtures across the UK are available free-to-air on ITV until 2030. We are proud to deliver so much live coverage of this incredible sport and would like to thank Racecourse Media Group, The Jockey Club, Arena Racing Company, Ascot Racecourse and our other partners, and we look forward to continuing our relationship for years to come.”
Nick Mills, Racecourse Media Group CEO, said: “On behalf of our racecourses, we are thrilled to extend our partnership with ITV for a further four years. British horseracing will again receive extensive mainstream terrestrial television coverage across 117 days – an exceptional level of visibility that allows millions of racing fans to watch the best the sport has to offer. I’d like to thank ITV for their award-winning coverage and wholehearted commitment to this wonderful sport.”
Jim Mullen, The Jockey Club’s Chief Executive, said: “The ITV Racing team continue to showcase our sport to racing fans and new audiences with the same passion and rigour they brought to our screens when their contract began back in 2017. We share their enthusiasm for telling the stories behind the stories, and for constantly exploring new and innovative ways to bring horse racing to life and into the homes of millions of people. Racing will benefit greatly from this extension and from the exposure that is guaranteed from 117 days of free-to-air coverage every year.”
Felicity Barnard, Ascot Racecourse Chief Executive, said: “It’s very good news that racing has agreed an extension with ITV. Their commitment, editorial expertise and production values are second to none and they are a superb partner to work with. We look forward to another period of innovation in broadcasting over the coming years.”
David Leyden Dunbar, Arena Racing Company Director of Commercial Strategy, said: “ITV Racing continues to offer our sport a fantastic shop window. British horseracing is the envy of many other sports, benefitting from such high-quality terrestrial coverage for 117 days a year. This new deal will cement a 14-year relationship and we very much look forward to working with the ITV Racing team to bring our biggest and best events into millions of homes.”
Brant Dunshea, Acting Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority said: “This is excellent news for British racing. ITV have shown themselves to be first-class broadcast partners, not only in terms of the quality of their coverage but in bringing more and more racing to mainstream terrestrial audiences. It is also exciting to consider what the future can hold in terms of working together around innovation in the broadcast experience, with growth in engagement with racing and attracting and retaining our audiences being a core area of focus for the sport’s industry strategy.”
