Football fans will be able to watch Lionel Messi in action for Barcelona in La Liga for free on ITV4 (Getty Images)

ITV have announced that they will be broadcasting La Liga matches for free on a weekly basis from now until the end of the season on ITV4.

Real Madrid’s game against Levante at the Ciutat de Valencia will be the first game shown live on ITV4 this Sunday at a kick-off time of 19.45 GMT. Alongside live matches, ITV will also broadcast a highlights show of all matches every week.

In a statement, Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: ‘This is good news for football fans who will be able to see on free to air television some of the world’s best players in action for some of the world’s biggest clubs in a league known for its high levels of skill and entertainment from now until the end of the season.’



ITV will become the third UK based broadcaster to show La Liga matches this season alongside streaming companies Eleven Sports and Premier Sports, both of whom have also retained rights to the competition.


We are delighted to announce a new deal that will see us broadcast LIVE free to air coverage of @LaLiga for the remainder of the season starting this Sunday with @LevanteUD vs @realmadrid Details here: https://t.co/WcmRE1mJh7 pic.twitter.com/r4u8Gpg2Hv — ITV Football (@itvfootball) February 22, 2019

Eleven Sports had looked to open up a monopoly on Spanish football after out-bidding Sky Sports for rights to La Liga ahead of the current season, however, they will now share coverage with Premier Sports and ITV.

Sky Sports had previously shown La Liga matches for over two decades but opted against extending their £18m per season deal this year.

In a statement, La Liga president Javier Tebas said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Premier Sports and ITV Sport to our broadcaster stable in the UK and Ireland which already includes Eleven Sports.

‘This is a fantastic moment for La Liga in the UK and Ireland. The best league in the world will be available to more fans than ever before.’

Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid will be in action in the first game broadcast by ITV4 (Getty Images)

That ITV have managed to gain rights for La Liga is a significant coup given the popularity of the league as well as individual teams including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the UK and Ireland.

The news has been well-received by football fans who will now be able to watch matches from one of the most popular leagues in the world for free.

Alongside La Liga, ITV has the rights to broadcast England football team’s qualifiers for the European Championship and World Cup, the 6 Nations and Rugby World Cup, boxing, UK horse racing, the Tour de France and the French Open.

Last season’s La Liga champions Barcelona are in pole position once again this time around, leading Atletico Madrid by seven points and Real Madrid by nine with 14 matches still to play.