Premier League allowed to change 3pm blackout rule as major TV decision made

The Premier League has been granted an exemption from the 3pm television blackout which could allow England's top-flight to broadcast selected matches during that traditional slot.

According to The Athletic, a recent rule change has permitted games to be shown on two specific days during the forthcoming festive period. These fall on Saturday, December 27 and Saturday, January 3, which are scheduled to host the 18th and 20th gameweeks of the 2025/26 season.

This would enable the matches, scheduled for 3pm on those two Saturdays, to be televised live - effectively overturning the customary blackout at that time. However, despite being permitted to screen matches under those regulations, The Athletic reports that the Premier League does not plan to utilise the option to broadcast those fixtures.

Currently, ten matches are due to take place on December 27 and a further ten on January 3, but the Premier League has yet to confirm its fixture alterations and UK television broadcast selections for the festive period, including for Boxing Day (December 26) or New Year's Day (January 1).

Speaking about the blackout at the Leaders football conference earlier this month, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: "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 game attendance from being affected if Saturday 3pm matches are broadcast live on TV.

However, it has also been linked to the rise in illegal streaming as fans are unable to watch Premier League games at this time within the UK. There is no such blackout affecting the Premier League's international broadcast deals.

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 list of exemptions for the current season - which they receive requests for - includes Saturdays during the men's international breaks.

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

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