Champions League/piracy: 16.2 million illegal stream views for the final in the UK (CGI/The Guardian)

The 2025-26 Champions League final, won by Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1 McDonald's) over Arsenal FC (Premier League), recorded 16.2 million illegal stream views in the UK on Saturday 30 May 2026, according to a report by media and technology company Gaming Compliance International (GCI) for UK newspaper The Guardian.

3.7 million unique IP addresses accessed these illegal broadcasts, according to the report. The match was legally watched by 7 million viewers on TNT Sports’ channels, which was the exclusive broadcaster of the final in the UK.

The Champions League final was not available free-to-air in the territory for the very first time since 1992 and the transition from the European Champion Clubs’ Cup (created in 1955) to the Champions League. This decision by TNT Sports was strongly criticised by Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister (Labour Party), who called for the match to be broadcast free-to-air on his X account on 23 May 2026.

• TNT Sports holds the full and exclusive UK media rights to Champions League matches (excluding the Tuesday-night fixture broadcast by Prime…