Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League final for the first time since 2006 with a victory over Atletico Madrid.
Sir Keir Starmer has urged TNT Sports to broadcast the upcoming Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris St-Germain on free-to-air television.
The UK prime minister has formally requested the broadcaster to “strongly reconsider” their decision to restrict access to subscribers only.
Since the Champions League’s inception in 1992, every final has been made available for free viewing in the UK.
In a letter addressed to TNT executives, Starmer expressed his disappointment, stating, “I was saddened to see that, for the first time since the competition started 34 years ago, TNT Sports has decided that [the fixture] will not be free to watch for football supporters here in the UK.”
Last week, it was announced that fans would require a subscription to view all three European club finals, for which TNT holds the broadcasting rights.
Starmer, a known Arsenal supporter, wrote: “The Champions League is the pinnacle of club football and rightly holds immense significance for fans in this country – the home of football.”
He added, “I firmly believe that the final should remain accessible to all viewers, regardless of Arsenal’s participation.”
“Naturally, I wish for as many fellow supporters as possible to witness our team’s historic final appearance after 20 years. However, the issue transcends mere team allegiance.”
“This is about uniting fans of all clubs in homes and pubs nationwide to witness Europe’s elite players compete.”
“Hard-working individuals should not bear the financial burden of a subscription to watch a game of this stature.”
“Supporters should be prioritised. To that end, I previously urged Fifa to enhance ticket affordability for this summer’s World Cup.”
“Therefore, I strongly encourage you to reconsider and make next Saturday’s final free to watch for the millions of passionate football fans across the country.”
Similarly, fans seeking to watch Aston Villa’s Europa League final victory last week required a subscription, as will those tuning in to the Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.
In a statement, TNT Sports responded: “We are privileged to broadcast Uefa club competitions to sports fans throughout the UK this season.”
“The presence of three Premier League clubs in the finals underscores the strength of English football, which we are proud to support.”
“We have made all three Uefa finals available from just £4.99, the price for a month-long subscription to HBO Max that also includes the great entertainment on the service. This represents exceptional value for fans to watch the conclusion of the competitions.”
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Six years prior, the government declined a House of Lords select committee proposal to designate the Champions League final a “crown jewel” event, which would have ensured its free-to-air status.
The Champions League final was broadcast free on ITV each year from 1993, except for the 1994 final, which was shown live on the BBC, until BT Sport acquired the rights, commencing in 2015-16.
BT Sport continued to provide free access, simultaneously broadcasting the game on its YouTube channel until 2023.
This changed following Warner Bros Discovery’s acquisition of BT Sport and its subsequent rebranding as TNT Sports.
While the finals remained accessible without cost, fans were required to create a Discovery+ account.
Discovery+ has been superseded by Warner Bros Discovery’s new streaming service, HBO Max, which lacks a free access option.
Fans will not require a full TNT Sports subscription; instead, they can subscribe to HBO Max for a single month.
The most affordable subscription is priced at £4.99, though most Sky customers already have complimentary access to HBO Max.
TNT Sports will relinquish its European rights from 2027-28.
Paramount+ has secured the rights to the Champions League, while the Europa League and Conference League will transition to Sky Sports.
Highlights of the Champions League final will be available on the BBC Sport website and across social media channels 15 minutes after the trophy presentation, as well as on BBC iPlayer and television later that evening.
Live commentary of all three finals will be broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Arsenal, who have never won the Champions League, were confirmed as Premier League champions earlier this week, marking their first title since 2004.
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