Lib Dems renew calls for a Premier League “free-to-air revolution” as new season kicks off 

Lib Dems renew calls for a Premier League “free-to-air revolution” as new season kicks off 

The Liberal Democrats have renewed their call for a free-to-air revolution in British sport, demanding that at least 10 Premier League matches a season be made available on free-to-air terrestrial channels.

While certain sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, are already legally protected for free-to-air broadcasting, many other major sports enjoy no such protection.

It comes as House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, reveals the cheapest widely available contract-free subscriptions needed to watch every live televised Premier League match in the 2026/27 season are NOW Sports, which provides access to Sky Sports, at £34.99 a month, and TNT Sports, available via HBO Max, at £30.99 a month.

Fans wanting to watch every live televised match would need to hold both subscriptions at once, a combined cost of £65.98 a month, or £659.80 across a typical Premier League season running from around mid-August to the end of May. This is setting fans back a further £60 per year than it did to purchase the same subscriptions just five seasons ago.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling for more sporting events to be added to the government's list of protected “crown jewel” events, so that fixtures including the Six Nations, the Ryder Cup and the Ashes are guaranteed free-to-air coverage.

The party has also tabled an amendment to the Sporting Events Bill which would require any sporting event in receipt of public money to be made free to air.

Anna Sabine MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Culture, Media, and Sport, said:

“Sport should unite the country, not be locked away behind an ever-growing wall of subscriptions. Fans are being asked to fork out hundreds of pounds a year just to watch the game they love, while more and more of our proudest sporting occasions disappear behind a paywall.

“These national sporting experiences used to belong to everyone, but successive Governments have overseen the gradual enshittification of sports broadcasting, putting profits ahead of fans.

“Liberal Democrats will put fans first, tear down the paywalls and make sure our biggest sporting moments are once again available to all.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

In 2021/22 a NOW Sports subscription cost £33.99 per month and a TNT/BT Sport subscription cost £25 per month.

In 2026/27, a NOW Sports subscription cost £34.99 per month and a TNT/BT subscription cost £30.99 per month.