MP calls on government to mandate for free-to-air Champions League final
MPs have called on the government to ensure the Champions League is on free-to-air television in the future after the three European football finals went behind a HBO paywall.
The Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League will feature three Premier League clubs – Arsenal, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace respectively – but will not be shown for free after parent company Warner Bros Discovery moved TNT to its new HBO Max platform in the UK.
Previous years have seen the broadcaster show the finals on the TNT Sports YouTube channel, and the move will see the Champions League without a free option in the UK for the first time in the 34 years since it replaced the old European Cup.
Labour MP Jon Trickett has called on his own government to mandate for change, and stated that “all major sporting finals should be free to watch on UK television”.
“I’d like to see the government take action to ensure future events like the Champions League final are accessible to as many people as possible,” he added.
Champions League final behind paywall
Shadow sport minister Louie French said that “millions of football fans will have to pay extra to watch the Champions League final”.
He acknowledged that “while we know that broadcasters need to generate revenue to make sure they can continue to air Europe’s biggest sporting events, where possible, football should be accessible to supporters, not hidden behind a paywall.”
It’s understood that Warner Bros Discovery stands behind its offering, believing it is a strong value proposition, but fans will need to make do without the finals for free.
Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the month looking for their first ever Champions League title while Aston Villa face Freiburg tonight in Istanbul looking for their first continental trophy since their famous 1982 European Cup triumph.
Crystal Palace are looking for a second major trophy in just over a year when they face Rayo Vallecano this month, having won the FA Cup in 2025.