Prime Minister makes public plea for free Champions League final coverage of Arsenal vs PSG – but we’ve got you covered

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called on TNT Sports to make the Champions League final free to view on TV.

Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain meet in Budapest on May 30 and it’s already free to listen on talkSPORT, as always.

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But for the first time in 34 years, the final of Europe’s premier competition will not be free-to-air on TV.

This comes after rights holder TNT Sports and HBO Max opted to make a controversial change to their coverage of all European finals.

Ever since they acquired rights to broadcast European matches in 2015, TNT Sports has allowed all fans to watch the action free of charge each year, while before that, the games were broadcast free-to-air on ITV in the UK.

But now, there will be no option to watch the action with no charge, with UEFA reportedly left disappointed at the switch.

Instead, fans will have to sign up to HBO Max for £4.99 or TNT Sports for £31.99 per month to tune in.

This marks the first time since the Champions League was launched in 1992 that supporters have had to pay to watch it.

TNT’s decision has already taken shape, with viewers having to pay to watch Aston Villa’s Europa League triumph in the first of this season’s European finals.

Prime Minister’s appeal

After criticism of the move to put the Champions League final behind a paywall, Prime Minister Starmer has penned an open letter to TNT Sports, calling on them to reverse the decision.

The letter read: “I was saddened to see that, for the first time since the competition started 34 years ago, TNT Sports has decided that the Champions League final will not be free to watch for supporters here in the UK.

“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.”

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Starmer has made no secret of his support of Arsenal, sending the Gunners a message of congratulations on social media following their Premier League title success.

But the 63-year-old insisted his personal allegiance is irrelevant, arguing all fans should be able to enjoy the occasion free of charge.

Starmer continued: “I am a firm believer that the final of this competition should remain free to watch, whether Arsenal have made it or not.

“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.

“Hard-working people should not have to worry about forking out for a subscription to watch a game of this magnitude.

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“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.”

TNT Sports respond

TNT Sports have since issued a response to Starmer’s call, insisting fans will get value for money with the subscription package offered.

A spokesperson told talkSPORT: “It has been a privilege to bring UEFA club competitions to sports fans across the UK throughout the season.

“Having three Premier League clubs reach the finals shows the strength of English football and something that we are proud to continue to support.

“We have made all three UEFA finals this year available from just £4.99, the price for a month-long subscription to HBO Max that also includes the great entertainment on the service.

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“This represents exceptional value for fans to watch the conclusion of the competitions.”

PSG vs Arsenal: talkSPORT coverage

While it remains to be seen whether Starmer’s letter will have the desired effect, fans can still follow the Champions League final for free on talkSPORT.

Legendary broadcaster Adrian Durham will present our coverage from Budapest, with commentary coming from Jim Proudfoot and former England captain Stuart Pearce.

On top of that, you can also follow talkSPORT’s live coverage of the upcoming Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, May 27.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. 

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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talkSPORT.com will also keep you up to date with all the latest.

Arsenal head to the Puskas Arena in Budapest looking to follow up their Premier League glory with a first-ever European crown.

The Gunners reached their first final of this competition since 2006 by beating Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate in the previous stage.

But their opponents don’t come much tougher, as they will take on defending champions PSG, who overcame Bayern Munich in all-time classic semi-final tie.