TNT Sports has confirmed it will not offer free-to-air coverage of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League finals in the UK, requiring fans to pay for access via its HBO Max streaming service from this year onward [1, 2, 3]. This marks the first time since the launch of the Champions League in 1992 that supporters must pay to watch the final live in the UK [1, 2, 3].
The Champions League final will feature Arsenal against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30, 2026, while the Europa League and Conference League finals are both scheduled for May 27, 2026, with Aston Villa facing Freiburg and Crystal Palace playing Rayo Vallecano, respectively [1, 2, 3].
Fans can access the matches through HBO Max subscriptions starting at £4.99 per month, a significant change from past years when the finals were free-to-air or freely available by streaming. Previously, from 1992 to 2015, ITV broadcast the finals free-to-air, and from 2015 onward BT Sport and TNT Sports streamed the matches free on YouTube or discovery+ until 2023 [1, 2, 3].
UEFA expressed disappointment at TNT’s decision, saying the move to charge breaks the spirit of their contract, which calls for "best endeavours" to keep the finals free for UK viewers [1, 2, 3]. Despite this, UEFA remains optimistic that TV viewing figures will rise due to HBO Max’s wider reach, which extends to over 10 million UK households compared with discovery+ in previous years [3]. Average viewing figures for Champions League finals on discovery+ in 2024 and 2025 were about 1 million, with total TNT Sport viewing around 2.5 million [3].
Labour MP Jon Trickett criticized the change, stating, "All major sporting finals should be free to watch on UK television. I’d like to see the government take action to ensure future events like the Champions League final are accessible to as many people as possible." [3]
From the 2027-28 season, TNT Sports will lose UEFA rights, with Paramount+ taking over Champions League coverage and Sky Sports acquiring the Europa and Conference League rights [1, 2].
Warner Bros Discovery launched HBO Max in the UK in March 2026, replacing discovery+, as part of this shift in streaming strategy [1, 2, 3]. The 2026 UEFA finals remain available only by subscription via HBO Max for the foreseeable future.
