Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa contest the UEFA Super Cup final on Wednesday night in Salzburg, but UK viewers will no longer be able to watch it for free on YouTube. TNT Sports and HBO Max have ended their previous policy of streaming European finals free of charge.
Champions League and Europa League winners face off
Luis Enrique’s side became back-to-back UEFA Champions League winners after defeating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Budapest. Villa head coach Unai Emery won a record-extending fifth UEFA Europa League title as the Premier League side defeated Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul.
Both sides have won the Super Cup before. Villa claimed the 1982 edition, while PSG were winners last year and are aiming to become the first side since Real Madrid in 2016 and 2017 to retain the trophy.
Coverage changes and subscription requirement
In recent years, European finals, including the Super Cup, have been streamed free of charge on TNT Sports’ YouTube channel. However, that is no longer the case. Only paid-up TNT Sports subscribers will be able to watch Wednesday’s final in the UK. There is no one-off match pass available to solely watch the Super Cup final, meaning supporters must be a TNT Sports subscriber to access the coverage.
The cheapest package costs £25.99 a month on a 12-month saver plan, or £30.99 for a one-month rolling contract. The move has frustrated many supporters and drawn criticism from UEFA. As per The Guardian, European football’s governing body believes the decision goes against the spirit of an agreement stating that the “best endeavours” must be made to ensure finals remain accessible free of charge.
How to watch and listen
Wednesday’s match will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. The build-up coverage starts from 7pm BST ahead of an 8pm kick-off at the Red Bull Arena, Salzburg. TNT Sports subscribers can watch the game live online via the HBO Max app and website. Live commentary of the Super Cup final will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.
