UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is urging TNT Sports to make the 2024 Champions League final free-to-air for fans in the UK [1].
The request comes as the broadcaster intends to charge for access to the match, breaking a long-standing precedent for the tournament's biggest game. This move has sparked a public campaign involving the Prime Minister and the Football Supporters' Association to ensure the match remains accessible to all fans [2].
The final is scheduled for Saturday night, June 1, 2024 [3], and will take place in Budapest, Hungary [4]. TNT Sports said it will charge £4.99 for access to the three European club finals [5]. This decision marks the first time in 34 years that the Champions League final will not be available via a free-to-air broadcast in the UK [6].
Starmer and the Football Supporters' Association said the final should be accessible to the general public without a paywall [2]. The clash features Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, adding significant stakes for the domestic audience [4].
Broadcasters typically negotiate exclusive rights to high-profile sporting events, but the shift toward paid models for the final represents a departure from historical norms in British sports broadcasting [6]. The Prime Minister's intervention highlights the tension between commercial broadcasting rights and the cultural status of football as a national pastime [2].
“First time in 34 years that the Champions League final will not be free-to-air in the UK”
This dispute reflects a broader trend of sports rights moving behind paywalls, challenging the traditional 'listed events' framework in the UK that ensures major cultural moments remain free. By intervening, Starmer is aligning himself with fan groups to push back against the commercialization of access to elite football.
