BBC and ITV at risk of losing World Cup rights as government forced to step in | Football | Sport

The UK government has intervened to prevent World Cup matches and highlights from being placed behind a paywall for online viewers. Under the Broadcasting Act 1996, so-called ‘crown jewels’ sporting events – including the Olympics, the FA Cup final and Wimbledon – were required to be broadcast on terrestrial television.

At that time, just four per cent of UK households had internet access, compared to today, where millions turn to platforms such as YouTube to catch highlights, meaning the legislation does not currently extend to online coverage. The move comes as ministers seek to close a loophole in existing law that had left the BBC and ITV at risk of losing online rights to the World Cup and other top-tier sporting events. The UK government has now introduced legislation to safeguard both live streaming and online highlights of major sporting events.

The proposed plans would prevent streaming and catch-up rights for the aforementioned events from being locked behind a paywall for UK viewers. However, the draft ruling would not prohibit on-demand rights from being sold to streaming platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, which could still charge subscribers to watch sports content at their convenience.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says the move will enable families to enjoy iconic sporting moments free of charge, as live streaming and online highlights of such events are currently unprotected.

Additional events set to have digital rights incorporated into the scope of the regime – as part of a media Green Paper being published this week – include the UEFA European Championships, Rugby World Cup final and the Grand National.

However, the Champions League final, which was controversially placed behind a paywall for the first time earlier this year, would not be included.

Nandy said: “Due to the late-night kick-offs, so many families are currently following the World Cup by catching up on-demand in the mornings.

“With these changes we are protecting that for the future, ensuring streaming rights for the biggest sports events must be offered to our public service broadcasters.”

She added: “This will not only help those broadcasters compete, it will make sure that people never miss out on the history-making sporting moments that bring us together as a nation, for free and however and whenever they choose to watch.”

A 2022 report by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee recommended that the previous government “should review extending the protections currently offered under the listed events regime to digital and on-demand content”.

Ministers were further urged to add the Six Nations rugby championship to the list of so-called ‘crown jewels’ events, though the government currently has no plans to broaden the list despite those calls.