LONDON: Uefa has announced that the first deals have been concluded in its sale of wireless rights for the Uefa Champions League seasons 2003-2006.

An official release informs that the rights have been awarded in Italy to 3 who will become the exclusive Official Uefa Champions League Mobile Operator in Italy. Vodafone has been awarded the rights on an exclusive basis in Spain, Greece, Hungary, Malta and Egypt. It also got non-exclusive rights in the UK, Germany, France, Holland, Portugal, Ireland and Switzerland.

Both Vodafone and 3 will bring the Uefa Champions League to their subscribers on mobile devices with a near-live and a post-match highlights service. Additionally a wealth of statistics and data will be made available to keep football fans informed at all times. Uefa’s extensive video archive of the last eleven seasons will also be made available for customers to revisit the great moments of the competition.

Uefa chief executive Gerhard Aigner said, "I am delighted to announce these first ever wireless rights deals for the Uefa Champions League. This is a great technological advancement and will bring the Uefa Champions League even closer to football fans around Europe. Alongside the traditional forms of communication, the new wireless rights ensure that the best club competition in the world will be available to fans at any time, via their mobile phone, wherever they may be."