MUMBAI: Ten Sports has won exclusive telecast rights to the Uefa Champions League for the next three years.

Telecast of matches will start in September 2006 and will include 1,000 hours of Europe's leading football action, the Dubai-headquartered channel said in a press release.

Ten's acquisition for the next three seasons of one of the marquee events of the world football calendar marks the first time that Champions League soccer will not be seen on ESPN Star Sports in the Indian subcontinent.

The Uefa Champions League 2006-07 will be the 52nd edition of the club tournament. The final will be played at Olympic Stadium, Athens, on 23rd May 2007. The live coverage of the Champions League matches on Ten Sports starts from 12 September till the final on 23 May 2007.

There will also be daily special programs for the Champions League, bringing goals and action for every game played, states an official release.

The release quotes Uefa CEO Lars-Christer Olsson as saying, "We are delighted to welcome Ten Sports as a new broadcast partner for the Uefa Champions League from next season. This agreement will undoubtedly benefit football fans throughout the entire Indian subcontinent. We look forward to working with Ten Sports to build up the Uefa Champions League in this important region."

Ten Sports CEO Chris McDonald offers, "This is a great step forward for us and further improves an amazing year for Ten Sports... We have now added the best club football in the world to our sporting line-up."

Adds vice-president programming Peter Hutton, "We will have our own live studio shows around each day of Champions League football, bringing goals and action from every game played that day, further enhancing the viewing experience for a tournament that is growing in stature every year and is by far the most competitive club football in the world."