Champions League football could be shown by Channel 4 for the first time amid the most open ever auction for the rights for Europe’s elite club competition.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the public-service broadcaster is exploring the prospect of buying one fixture per matchweek under the new three-year UK television contract that will be awarded next month.

Sky Sports and BT Sport are once again vying for the lion’s share of those rights but Channel 4 has emerged as a potential partner in a deal that would restore terrestrial coverage of the Champions League from next year.

Sources have all but ruled out the network submitting its own bid to Uefa’s marketing partner, Team, but talks between Channel 4 and BT have been mooted that could see the former sublet certain matches if the latter retains the rights.

Both broadcasters refused to confirm or deny last night that such discussions had taken place.