TV coverage of the Premier League could be set for a major change in the coming years.
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and West Ham are among the 20 Premier League clubs that occasionally have 3pm Saturday afternoon kick-offs in the top flight, and fans in the UK are unable to watch these matches on live TV.
Due to broadcast rules in the UK, these fixtures are subject to the 3pm blackout which prevents the matches from being televised live. These matches are broadcast in countries across the world, though, notably the United States, which also has games available to watch on TV and via live streaming service Peacock.
According to The Times, there is "intense pressure" to scrap the long-standing rules that have been in place across English football for decades.
The report claims that the current 3pm blackout, which affects matches taking place between 2.45pm and 5.15pm from being televised in the UK, is unlikely to continue beyond 2029.
The current TV deal for the Premier League and EFL runs until the end of the 2028/29 season, and it has been reported that the ever-increasing number of matches being televised in the UK is making the 3pm blackout look "out of date".
From next season, there will be an increase in the number of Premier League matches selected for live television coverage, with the number of games going from 200 up to 270. This will mean that every match that is not selected for a 3pm Saturday afternoon kick-off will be available to watch live on TV.
The blackout in English football is enforced by the FA with Article 48 from UEFA, which states that at least 50 percent of matches across the Premier League and Championship across a weekend must kick off at 3pm on a Saturday. However, the latest report suggests that fans of Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham and the other Premier League clubs may have more access to live football on TV in the years to come.
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Premier League