MPs vote on making Premier League games free-to-air in the UK

MPs have voted on a proposal to force the Premier League to make at least 10 games a season free-to-air by law.

Since the Premier League’s inception in 1992, all games have been behind a paywall with broadcasters such as Sky Sports, Amazon Prime and TNT Sports – although a handful of games were free-to-air on the BBC during the Covid-19 pandemic.

But the Liberal Democrats put forward an amendment to the Football Governance Bill, which featured a pledge to make at least 10 Premier League matches a season free-to-air, as well the Championship, League One and League Two play-off finals.

It was cited that fans would have to spend £660 to watch every game next season under the competition’s latest TV deals

The Lib Dems were confident that a vote would be granted.

Max Wilkinson MP, who is the Lib Dem spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport, said: "I'm urging MPs of all stripes to back our amendment to tear down the paywall and make Premier League games available on free-to-air channels."

He added: "For too long, the jewel in the crown of British football has been locked behind an expensive barrier that keeps fans out while lining the pockets of broadcasters. That must end today - with a free-to-air revolution that gives the Premier League back to the country."

But on Tuesday afternoon, a total of 340 MPs voted against allowing 10 Premier League games to be broadcast for free, while just 86 voted in favour.

Here's how fans on social media reacted to the news.

One said: "It’s such an open goal as a good-favour act and instead they’ve categorically voted against what 99% of football fans want. Shambles."

A second wrote: "If politicians really cared about the people, why vote no? Really minor thing in comparison to what else is going on but should tell you so much."

A third commented: "Kids should be able to watch, look up to and feel inspired by their footballing heroes. Not only are they being priced out of stadiums across the country, you’ve now got every single Labour MP voting against letting them watch it on TV. Ridiculously out of touch!"

A fourth said: "This is a joke result - from MP’s on all sides of the house - what happened to the working class sport for working class people?" and a fifth added: "This was an amendment to the Football Governance Bill that could’ve given a sliver of access to people who cannot afford the subscriptions."