Premier League to make huge TV blackout decision with impact on Man United and Man City

The Premier League has been handed an exemption from the 3pm TV blackout that would allow the league to broadcast certain matches during that slot

The Premier League has been granted an exemption from the traditional 3pm TV blackout, which would enable certain matches to be broadcast during that timeslot.

As reported by The Athletic, a recent amendment permits fixtures to be aired on two specific days over the festive period. These dates are Saturday, 27 December and Saturday, 3 January, which are set to host the 18th and 20th gameweek of the 2025/26 season.

This change means that matches scheduled for 3pm on these two Saturdays can be broadcast live, overturning the usual blackout at this time.

However, despite having the permission to air matches at this time, The Athletic states that the Premier League does not plan to utilise this opportunity to broadcast these fixtures.

Currently, there are 10 fixtures planned for 27 December and another 10 for 3 January, but the Premier League has yet to confirm its fixture changes and UK TV broadcast selections for the festive period, including Boxing Day (26 December) or New Year's Day (1 January).

When asked about the blackout at the Leaders football conference earlier this month, Premier League CEO Richard Masters stated: "We are committed to it for the foreseeable future and it's not a decision that we make, it's done in conjunction with other football bodies, the EFL (English Football League) and the FA (English Football Association)."

The 3pm blackout rule, first conceived in the 1960s and implemented in the UK since the mid-80s, primarily exists to protect lower-league match attendance from being affected if Saturday 3pm games are broadcast live on television.

However, it has also been linked to the growing trend of illegal streaming, as fans are unable to watch Premier League matches at this time within the UK.

There is no such blackout affecting the Premier League's international broadcast agreements. Supporters outside of the UK can view as many 3pm matches as their local broadcasters choose to air live.

In addition to December 27 and January 3, UEFA's published list of exemptions for the current season includes Saturdays during the men's international breaks.

This also encompasses September 20, when four Premier League matches began at 3pm but were not televised in the UK. The Athletic confirms that this was due to a request from the Scottish FA to accommodate League Cup fixtures.

Even though the dates submitted to UEFA result from a collaboration between various stakeholders, it's reported that the request for these specific dates did not originate directly from the Premier League.

Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.

Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.

And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.