TNT Sports will not make the finals of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League free to watch. This means fans will need a subscription to view the matches. It marks the first time since the Champions League began in 1992 that supporters have had to pay to watch it.
Subscription Required for European Finals
TNT Sports has broadcast the Champions League since 2015 but will lose the rights in 2027. The three showpiece events will all feature English clubs. Aston Villa meet Freiburg in the Europa League, Crystal Palace face Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League and Arsenal take on Paris St-Germain in the Champions League.
UEFA is reportedly disappointed with TNT Sports’ decision. The organisation argued that the finals should remain free-to-air for all viewers. Ultimately, the decision on how to broadcast the games rests with the rights holder.
Changes After TNT Sports Rebrand
The Champions League final had been free on ITV for the first 23 years until BT Sport won the rights, starting from 2015-16. BT Sport continued to make it available without a subscription through to 2023, simultaneously broadcasting the game on its YouTube channel. This changed after BT Sport was bought by Warner Bros Discovery and rebranded as TNT Sports.
While the finals remained available without cost, fans needed to sign up for a discovery+ account to get access. Discovery+ has been replaced by Warner Bros Discovery’s new streaming service, HBO Max, which has no free option.
How to Watch and What It Will Cost
Fans will not need a full TNT Sports subscription, and can instead sign up for HBO Max for one month. The cheapest subscription starts at £4.99, which would include all three matches, though most Sky customers already get HBO Max at no extra cost.
- Highlights of the Champions League final will be available on the BBC Sport website and across social media channels 15 minutes after the trophy lift.
- Highlights will also be on BBC iPlayer and television later in the evening.
- Live commentary of all three finals will be on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Future Broadcasting Rights
From 2027-28, TNT Sports will lose its European rights. Paramount+ has picked up the Champions League, while the Europa League and the Conference League will move to Sky Sports.
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. This would have ensured it would always be free-to-air.