Champions League final sets record for illegal streaming.

According to The Guardian, the 2025-2026 Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) saw a massive number of illegal viewers in the UK, with 16.2 million accesses to unauthorized streaming platforms. Meanwhile, the number of viewers paying to watch the match on TNT Sports and HBO Max only exceeded 7 million.

According to a report by technology analytics company Gaming Compliance International (GCI), illegal streaming was traced to approximately 3.7 million different IP addresses in the UK. This phenomenon stems from the fact that the match was no longer streamed for free as in previous seasons.

TNT Sports' decision not to broadcast the final for free sparked considerable controversy. This was the first time since 1992 that the final had not been broadcast free of charge to viewers in the UK. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer even sent a letter urging the broadcaster to reconsider the decision.

There were over 16.2 million views of the platforms illegally streaming the final match between Arsenal and PSG. (Source: AP)

According to Reuters, TNT Sports is pleased with its total viewership across television and online platforms, reaching over 7 million people and a market share of 25.6%. However, the large number of illegal viewers remains a long-term concern, not only for TNT but also for broadcasters and rights holders such as UEFA and the English Premier League.

Previously, the 2022 Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid was streamed for free on YouTube by BT Sport, attracting 12.6 million viewers.

Experts also noted that it is difficult to accurately determine the actual number of illegal viewers. Many people may share the same IP address to watch, while some viewers have to access the site multiple times due to poor internet connection quality or constant advertisements. This is why the total number of views reached 16.2 million.

The GCI report also highlighted a worrying link between illegal streaming and illicit gambling activity. Up to 89% of advertisements appearing on illegal streaming platforms were from illegal gambling channels in the UK.

GCI chairman Ismail Vali argues that illegal broadcasting and gambling have formed an underlying link since the Covid-19 pandemic. As sporting events were suspended, many bookmakers turned to illegal broadcasting platforms to promote fake events and betting markets.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer even sent a letter to TNT suggesting they consider broadcasting the show for free. (Source: AP)

Nowadays, with the cost of watching sports becoming increasingly expensive, offering free matches through illegal channels has become a competitive tool for illegal betting operations.

TNT Sports maintains its stance of only broadcasting the match on its paid services TNT Sports and HBO Max, even though the HBO Max subscription in the UK starts at £4.99 (approximately 177,000 VND) per month.

Some industry sources also suggest that attendance figures could have been even higher if UEFA hadn't adjusted the match time to an earlier date to facilitate fan attendance.

Compared to last year's final between PSG and Inter Milan, viewership on TNT increased significantly thanks to Arsenal's participation, but decreased in France due to the earlier match time. Last season, the match only attracted around 4.5 million viewers in England.

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/chung-ket-champions-league-lap-ky-luc-xem-lau-ar1021328.html