RTL completes Sky Deutschland deal, creating 12.3 million subscribers
RTL Group announced the completion of its acquisition of Sky Deutschland on June 1, 2026. This transaction, initially reported in June 2025, received unconditional approval from the European Commission on April 22, 2026. The merger creates a new entity in German-speaking Europe with approximately 12.3 million paying subscribers.
Key Takeaways
- The acquisition closed on 1 June 2026, nearly a year after it was first announced in June 2025.
- The European Commission gave unconditional approval on 22 April 2026.
- The merged RTL Group and Sky Deutschland business has around 12.3 million paying subscribers.
- The deal combines two of the most recognisable media brands in German-speaking Europe.
Why It Matters
RTL Group now has a larger German-speaking streaming and pay-TV footprint immediately, with the Sky Deutschland deal closed and the European Commission’s unconditional approval already in hand. The combination brings together two of the region’s most recognisable media brands under one business with about 12.3 million paying subscribers, raising the scale of the platform in a fragmented market. The key figure to watch next is how RTL reports subscriber totals for the combined entity, starting from that 12.3 million base.
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