Premiership Rugby matches looks set to be broadcast for the first time on mainstream terrestrial television from next year, The Telegraph can reveal.

It is understood that BT Sport, which has the exclusive rights to show English club rugby union’s top league until 2021, is considering allowing several matches to be shown on a free-to-air broadcaster for the start of the 2017-18 season.

Under the current broadcasting arrangements, only a highlights programme is available on terrestrial television, on ITV on Sunday nights. That deal with Premiership Rugby expires at the end of next season and negotiations are due to open shortly with the view of expanding coverage of up to 10 live matches.

The highlights show on ITV has attracted more than 400,000 viewers each weekend and industry insiders hope that a live match could attract more than a million.

ITV is understood to be the likely front-runner to secure the rights to broadcast the live matches, but the BBC may also bid.

While the BBC used to broadcast live matches in the Heineken Cup before the tournament sold the rights to Sky Sports in 2003, this would be the first time that English top-flight club league matches have been shown live on terrestrial television.