English football's long-standing Saturday 3pm television blackout is set for a pivotal review, with the Premier League and the English Football League (EFL) scheduling formal talks for early 2026.
Historic Blackout Under Threat as Broadcasters Seek More Games
According to a report by The Guardian, the two governing bodies will meet to discuss combining their efforts to permit the live broadcast of matches kicking off at the traditional 3pm slot on Saturdays. England is currently the only country in Europe that still enforces such a blackout, a rule designed to protect matchday attendances across the football pyramid.
The primary driver for change is financial. Both leagues are eager to sell more live games to broadcasters to increase revenue. Although their current domestic rights cycles have several years left to run—the EFL's deal with Sky Sports lasts until summer 2029—they want to reach an agreement before the next tender process begins.
The EFL is already set to take its rights to market in just over 12 months, with an expectation the Premier League will follow later in the year. This season, Sky Sports has exclusive rights to show a staggering 1,059 EFL games across the Championship, League One, League Two, Carabao Cup, and EFL Trophy. The Premier League is broadcasting a record 270 matches.
Financial Pressures and Potential Broadcast Boom
Removing the blackout could see the total number of televised EFL games move closer to 2,000. For the Premier League, which recently agreed a record UK rights deal worth £6.7 billion over four years with Sky Sports and TNT Sports, the motivation is to explore selling every single match. This comes despite the new deal's value being diluted by an extra year and more games being included compared to the previous cycle.
Premier League CEO Richard Masters has publicly stated the league's commitment to the blackout "for the foreseeable future," but noted it is not a decision made unilaterally. "It’s done in conjunction with other footballing bodies, including the English Football League and the Football Association," he said at a recent sports business conference in London.
However, Sky Sports managing director Jonathan Licht has said he expects a conversation about the rule, indicating broadcaster interest in its removal.
Complex Road Ahead with Wider Implications
The blackout is enabled by Article 48 of UEFA’s statutes, which allows a prohibition on live football transmission for two and a half hours on a Saturday or Sunday. It is triggered when 50% of matches in the Premier League and Championship are scheduled for Saturday at 3pm.
The FA also has a role and is unlikely to reject imposing Article 48, though it has previously tried—unsuccessfully—to get the Women's Super League exempted. Should the blackout be lifted, several major consequences are anticipated:
- Matchday attendances at lower-league clubs are almost certain to be impacted as more top-flight games become available on TV.
- Leagues in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, where the blackout is also enforced, could demand compensation if it is scrapped in England.
- A fundamental shift in the UK's football viewing culture, ending a decades-old tradition.
The 2026 talks will therefore represent a critical moment, balancing the pursuit of greater broadcast revenue against the potential effects on the sport's ecosystem at all levels.
