UK MPs Push to Make Premier League Games Free as Fans Demand Access to Football

UK MPs Push to Make Premier League Games Free as Fans Demand Access to Football

British Members of Parliament may soon cast their votes on a proposal to make certain Premier League matches freely accessible to viewers on television.

The Premier League's very existence stems from television broadcasting and its associated revenue streams, which led the original 22 founding clubs to separate from the conventional Football League back in 1992.

The league's global appeal has grown tremendously, with supporters from nearly every nation able to watch live Premier League action weekly. However, paradoxically, the Premier League remains less accessible to fans within the UK due to limited live coverage and higher subscription costs.

British supporters typically spend over £650 ($882.64) annually for live Premier League coverage through Sky Sports and TNT Sports, yet this doesn't provide access to all 380 fixtures—Sky will increase its broadcast allocation to 225 matches for the 2025–26 season, while TNT aired 52 games during 2024–25.

Across the Atlantic, NBC provides one complimentary Premier League broadcast weekly, with additional live matches distributed between Peacock and USA Network at significantly lower costs than what British fans encounter.

In Spain, La Liga has been legally required to offer one free weekly match since 2022.

Liberal Democrat parliamentarians have suggested that 10 Premier League fixtures per season should be broadcast without charge, roughly one monthly. This proposal has been submitted as a modification to the Football Governance Bill, which aims to establish independent oversight for England's top five men's divisions.

Within Britain, specific 'crown jewel' sporting competitions—such as the World Cup—are safeguarded to ensure free public access. Conversely, the Premier League has consistently operated behind subscription barriers, with only a few exceptions during BBC broadcasts throughout the Covid-19 period.

"I'm encouraging parliamentarians across party lines to support our amendment to eliminate subscription barriers and provide Premier League matches on free television channels," stated Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat MP and Culture, Media and Sport representative.

"For far too long, British football's premier competition has been restricted behind costly barriers that exclude supporters while enriching broadcasters. Fans are being financially drained to witness the beautiful game, while future stars like [Jude] Bellingham and [Lucy] Bronze are financially excluded from experiencing elite-level football. This situation must change immediately—through a free-to-air transformation that returns the Premier League to the nation."

BBC Sport indicates that the Liberal Democrat party feels "confident" that a vote on this proposal will be approved.