LONDON, England — UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called on TNT Sports to make next Saturday’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain free-to-air.
Starmer has written to the broadcaster to strongly urge them to reconsider a decision to make the final available to subscribers only.
Okay News reports that every previous final since the Champions League format was introduced in 1992 has been made available to watch free of charge in the UK.
In his letter to TNT executives, Starmer, who is an Arsenal fan, stated that hard-working people should not have to worry about forking out for a subscription to watch a game of this magnitude and urged the broadcaster to put supporters first.
Last week, it was revealed that fans would need a subscription to watch all three European club finals, to which TNT holds the rights. Fans wanting to watch Aston Villa win the Europa League final needed a subscription, and the same will apply to the Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.
In a statement, TNT Sports dismissed the concerns, noting that all three UEFA finals are available from just £4.99 via a month-long subscription to HBO Max, which they described as exceptional value for fans.
The broadcast changes follow the rebranding of BT Sport to TNT Sports under Warner Bros. Discovery, with its streaming options moving to the pay-walled HBO Max service. TNT Sports is set to lose its European broadcasting rights from the 2027-28 season, with Paramount+ picking up the Champions League, while the Europa League and Conference League move to Sky Sports.
Newly crowned Premier League champions Arsenal, who have never won the Champions League, are looking to secure their first continental crown in their first final appearance since 2006.
