Ahead of the Games, the IPC has announced a number of major innovative broadcast agreements covering both the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Paralympics.

The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games are set to break all viewing records, exceeding the cumulative global audience of 1.6 billion that tuned into watch the Vancouver Games four years ago, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced.

With just two days to go before the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony, the IPC has confirmed that TV pictures will be broadcast to more than 55 countries and territories, more than ever before and that broadcasters are also showing more hours of coverage than previous editions.

Ahead of the Games, the IPC has announced a number of major innovative broadcast agreements covering both the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Paralympics with the likes of NBC in the USA, EBU in Europe, Channel 4 in Great Britain, NHK (sub-licensee: SkyPerfecTV) in Japan and Attitude Pictures (sub-licensee: TV New Zealand) in New Zealand.

The IPC can also confirm agreements with KBS (sub-licensees: SBS and MBC) in South Korea, CCTV in China, BBC (radio rights) in Great Britain and American Movil in the Americas.

Through working with the National Paralympic Committees of Australia, Brazil, Canada and South Africa, deals are also in place for ABC, Globo’s Sportv, and CBC/Radio Canada and SuperSport, respectively.

In the host country of the Games, broadcasters VGTRK, RBC TV and ANO Sports Broadcasting will show 180 hours of coverage.

Alexis Schaefer, the IPC’s Marketing and Commercial Director, said: “The Paralympic Games are one of world sports fastest growing properties and I am delighted that more broadcasters will be showing pictures from Sochi 2014 than any previous Paralympic Winter Games.

“Millions more people around the world will be able to watch the Paralympic Winter Games for the first time thanks to a number of new deals we have put in place over the last 18 months. Many more others will have the opportunity to watch more coverage of the Games as broadcasters screen more from the Games via various different platforms. Such increase in coverage can only bode well for the future.

“The NBC deal, which includes live streaming via the USOC’s website www.TeamUSA.org, is extremely significant for the whole Paralympic Movement as it opens the Games up to the USA for the first time. Equally as significant is the increase in coverage we will see in South Korea and Japan, the host countries of the 2018 and 2020 Games as well as winter Games coverage for the first time in Brazil, the host of Rio 2016.”

In addition to global broadcasters planning more coverage of Sochi 2014 than any previous Winter Paralympics, the IPC will show over 300 hours of coverage from the Games via its website www.paralympic.org.

As well as covering the Opening and Closing Ceremonies live from Sochi in HD, the IPC website will also feature four HD channels showing live and uninterrupted daily coverage of alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling. A fifth HD channel will broadcast a mixture of all sports and all five channels will feature English commentary.

The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games will take place between 7-16 March and will feature 575 athletes from 45 countries. They will compete in 72 medals events across five sports – alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling. Snowboard will make its Games debut with two medal events included in the alpine skiing programme.

Country, Broadcaster

1. Australia, ABC

2. Argentina, American Movil

3. Austria, ORF

4. Belgium, VRT/RTBF

5. Belize, American Movil

6. Bolivia, American Movil

7. Brazil, Globo/Sportv

8. Bulgaria, BNT

9. Canada, CBC/Radio Canada

10. Chile, American Movil

11. China, CCTV

12. Colombia, American Movil

13. Costa Rica, American Movil

14. Croatia, HRT

15. Cuba, American Movil

16. Czech Republic, Televize

17. Dominican Republic, American Movil

18. Ecuador, American Movil

19. El Salvador, American Movil

20. Finland, YLE Yleisradio Oy

21. France*, France Télévisions

22. Germany, ARD/ZDF

23. Great Britain, Channel 4

24. Guatemala, American Movil

25. Guyana, American Movil

26. Honduras, American Movil

27. Iceland, Rikisutvarpid

28. Ireland, RTE Radio Telefis Eireann

29. Italy, RAI

30. Japan, NHK and Sky Perfect

31. Kazakhstan, KTV Kazsport

32. Mexico, American Movil

33. Netherlands, NOS Nederlandse Omroep Stichting

34. New Zealand, Attitude Pictures

35. Nicaragua, American Movil

36. Norway, NRK Norsk Rikskringkasting As

37. Panama, American Movil

38. Paraguay, American Movil

39. Peru, American Movil

40. Poland, TVP Polskie Telewizja

41. Russia, VGTRK/RBC TV

42. Serbia, RTS Radiotelevizija Srbije

43. Slovakia, STV Slovenska Televizia

44. Slovenia, Radiotelevizija Slovenija

45. South Africa, Supersport

46. South Korea, KBS, MBC and SBS

47. Spain, TVE Corporation de Radio y Television Espanola

48. Surinam, American Movil

49. Sweden, SVT Sveriges Television Ab

50. Switzerland, SRG Société Suisse de Radiodiffusion et Télévision

51. Turkey, TRT Turkiye Radyo-Televizyon Kurumu

52. Ukraine, NTU Natsionalna Telekompanya Ukrainy

53. Uruguay, American Movil

54. USA, NBC, NBCSN and USOC

55. Venezuela, American Movil

*France TV also includes right to broadcast in 45 African countries and territories.

Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Saint Martin, Saint Eustatius) will also receive coverage.