UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has written to broadcaster TNT Sports asking it to make this weekend’s Champions League final free to view.
TNT Sports will stream Saturday's match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain on HBO Max, where the cheapest subscription package costs £4.99 per month.
The fixture, which kicks off in Budapest, will mark the first time British viewers will be unable to watch the Champions League final free of charge since the competition launched in 1992.
In his letter, Starmer said: “The Champions League is the biggest club football competition in the world and rightly means a lot to fans in this country – the home of football. I am a firm believer that the final of this competition should remain free to watch, whether Arsenal have made it or not.
“Obviously, I want as many fellow fans as possible to be able to watch our team in this historic final for the first time in 20 years. However, this is bigger than that. This is about supporters of all teams coming together in living rooms and pubs in every corner of the country to watch the most elite players in Europe battle it out. Hard-working people should not have to worry about forking out for a subscription to watch a game of this magnitude.”
In a statement, TNT Sports said: "It has been a privilege to bring UEFA club competitions to sports fans across the UK throughout the season. Having three Premier League clubs reach the finals shows the strength of English Football and is something we are proud to continue to support.
“We have made all three UEFA finals available from just £4.99 this year, the price for a month-long subscription to HBO Max that also includes great entertainment on the service. This represents exceptional value for fans to watch the conclusion of the competitions."
TNT Sports is set to lose the TV rights to all three of its European football competitions from the 2027-28 season. Paramount+ has picked up the Champions League, while the Europa League and the Conference League will move to Sky Sports.
According to BBC Sport, UEFA is disappointed that the matches are not free to air.
Six years ago, the government rejected a House of Lords select committee proposal to add the Champions League final to the list of "crown jewels" events, which would have ensured it would always be free-to-air.
UC3, which manages the commercial rights for UEFA club competitions, recently confirmed the preferred bidders for media rights to UEFA men’s club competitions in 19 global territories. Discover more here.
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