UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued an urgent plea to TNT Sports, urging the broadcaster to make the upcoming Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain available free-to-air. In an open letter, Starmer, a known Arsenal supporter, emphasised that the final should be accessible to all football fans without requiring a paid subscription.
Starmer's Appeal to TNT Sports
The Prime Minister's letter comes after it was revealed that the final, scheduled for next Saturday, would be shown exclusively on TNT Sports via a paid subscription—a first in 34 years. Starmer wrote: "The Champions League is the biggest club football competition in the world and rightly means a lot to fans in this country - the home of football. I am a firm believer that the final of this competition should remain free to watch, whether Arsenal have made it or not."
Putting Supporters First
Starmer stressed the importance of unity among fans: "Obviously, I want as many fellow fans as possible to be able to watch our team in this historic final for the first time in 20 years. However, this is bigger than that. This is about supporters of all teams coming together in living rooms and pubs in every corner of the country to watch the most elite players in Europe battle it out." He added that "hard-working people should not have to worry about forking out for a subscription to watch a game of this magnitude."
The Prime Minister also referenced his previous efforts to make World Cup tickets more affordable, stating: "We should be putting supporters first. That is why I have already encouraged Fifa to do more to make tickets more affordable at this summer's World Cup. That is also why I want to strongly urge you to reconsider and make the final next Saturday free to watch for the millions of passionate football fans in this country."
This breaking news story is developing, and further updates will be provided as they become available.
