British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged broadcaster TNT Sports to make next weekend’s UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain free-to-air for viewers across Britain.In a letter addressed to TNT Sports executives, Starmer said he was “saddened” that football fans in the UK will need a paid subscription to watch a Champions League final for the first time in more than three decades.“I firmly believe that the final of this competition should be free to watch, whether Arsenal make it or not,” Starmer wrote.

‘It’s bigger than Arsenal’

Starmer, a long-time Arsenal supporter, said the issue goes beyond club loyalty and is about keeping key sporting moments accessible to all.“It’s all about the teams’ supporters coming together in living rooms and pubs in every corner of the country to watch Europe’s most elite players compete,” he said.The Prime Minister said that “hard working people should not have to worry about spending money for a subscription to watch a match of such importance”.Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest next Saturday, which will be the London club’s first appearance in the final in 20 years.

TNT defends sports subscription model

TNT Sports responded by saying that fans can access all three UEFA club competition finals through a £4.99 monthly subscription to HBO Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform.The broadcaster described the offer as “exceptional value”, noting that it included not only the Champions League final but also the Europa League and Conference League finals.This season marked the first time that all three European club finals were held entirely behind a paywall in the UK.

End of a long free-to-air tradition

The Champions League Final has been available free-to-air in the UK every year since the competition’s modern format began in 1992.ITV has broadcast the final for free since 1993, while BT Sport later continued this practice by streaming the match free online after acquiring the rights in 2015.However, after BT Sport was rebranded as TNT Sports under Warner Bros. Discovery, viewers were required to register through Discovery+ and now HBO Max, which no longer offers the free viewing option.

No plans yet for ‘Crown Jewels’ status

The UK government currently has no plans to classify the Champions League final as a protected “crown jewels” sporting event, a move that would legally require free-to-air coverage.From the 2027–28 season, TNT Sports will lose its European football rights package. Paramount+ will broadcast the Champions League, while Sky Sports will handle coverage of the Europa League and Conference League.