S4C has confirmed that it has secured a 2026 Tour de France package sublicensed from TNT Sports to provide Welsh-language live coverage of seven key stages as well as the usual highlights across the full race from 4-26 July. The deal marks the 13th consecutive year that S4C has broadcast the Tour but still leaves fans wanting for lack of full live free-to-air coverage of the race in the UK.
The stages shown live on S4C are stages 1, 2, 3, 18, 19, 20 and 21 with stages such as the TTT in Barcelona, both Alpe d'Huez stages and the finale in Paris all available on S4C's TV channel, S4C Clic online, S4C Chwaraeon's YouTube and on BBC iPlayer. Stage 18 is only available online with highlights available on all four of the platforms.
Related – The 2026 Tour de France stage guide - when to watch each stage
S4C's 2026 Tour de France live coverage
Seven stages live, highlights across the race
Stage | Live | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4–17 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 19 | ||
| 20 | ||
| 21 |
This means that 14 of the stages in this year's race, including the majority of the mountain stages and a key ITT, will not be available to watch live on free-to-air TV in the UK. TNT Sports remains the UK's exclusive rights holder to cover the entire race and is only available through paid subscription on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
Wider UK rights picture
In a separate deal, Channel 5 announced in June that they had agreed a multi-year deal with TNT Sports to show free-to-air daily highlights of all the men's Grand tours from 2026 to 2028. This gives something for British viewers to have with an easily accessible coverage high up on the TV guide. The only live coverage that C5 are providing is all the British stages of the men's and women's Grand Departs in 2027.
This, teamed with S4C's coverage, leaves British fans who are unable to pay for TNT Sports with something to go off and some live racing over key stages that will definitely shape the race.
Welsh-language cycling on public service television
S4C's Tour coverage is produced by Sunset & Vine, with a presenting team of Rhodri Gomer, Peredur ap Gwynedd, Gruff Lewis and Manon Lloyd providing Welsh and English analysis.
S4C first broadcast the Tour in 2014 and has carried it every year since, building a Welsh-language cycling audience on a public-service channel that also holds rights to Wales rugby and football internationals.
Peredur ap Gwynedd, one of S4C's presenters, said: "I am very happy that S4C is broadcasting the Tour de France once again, for the 13th year in a row. It's pretty bonkers that we've broadcast the race since 2014. And of course, with a stage of the Tour taking place in Wales next year, the word 'exciting' doesn't even come close to how I feel about the future."
The Tour's 2027 Grand Départ is due to start in Edinburgh on 2 July 2027, with stage 3 running from Welshpool to Cardiff, marking the first time the race has passed through Wales. S4C said it is in negotiations to cover the 2027 edition, though no deal has been confirmed. Whether those talks produce a broader live package for the year the race visits Wales remains to be seen.
Cover image credit: Maxime Delobel
