Stade Rennais will face OFI Crete in the UEFA Europa League on October 15, 2026, with the fixture available to stream for free across France on a new digital service launched by Canal+.
The channel holds the French broadcasting rights for European club competitions and aims to reach viewers outside its traditional subscriber base through ad-supported access and registration.
Stade Rennais Seeks First Europa League Win at Roazhon Park
The upcoming fixture against Greek side OFI Crete represents an important test for Stade Rennais in the league phase of the competition. During the opening matchday, the Breton club secured a scoreless draw away against Sturm Graz. Returning to their home stadium, Les Rennais will look to claim their first victory of the European campaign against visiting opposition from Greece.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 21:00 local time (19:00 UTC) on October 15, 2026. Viewers across France can access the live broadcast via a simple registration process on the Sport+ platform, without needing to purchase a paid subscription package, as noted by Sportune.
Canal+ Expands Free Sports Offerings Through Sport+ Launch
The launch of Sport+ on October 9, 2026, across metropolitan France introduces a new portal dedicated to sports content within the main Canal+ app, according to press materials released by Groupe Canal+. Canal+ Group sports director Thomas Sénécal stated that the service is designed as an entry point offering extensive sports coverage and exclusive rights imagery.
The platform covers nine major competitions where Canal+ holds broadcasting rights, including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Arkema Première Ligue, Formula 1, MotoGP, Top 14, Pro D2, and Premier League.
Subscriber Backlash Follows Free Platform Deployment
Historic customers voiced frustration on social media regarding the pricing disparity between legacy subscriptions—some citing monthly fees reaching €105 for accounts held since 1994—and newer promotional entry points.
Company executives defended the strategy as a necessary evolution to capture mobile audiences and introduce non-subscribers to premium sports programming through advertising-supported models and promotional gateways leading toward paid packages.
