Scottish football could end Saturday 3pm blackout in major broadcasting shake-up

The Scottish Professional Football League has indicated that it would be open to ending the Saturday 3pm television blackout in Scotland from the start of the 2029-30 season. The stance has emerged ahead of the league's next broadcast rights sale, and removing the long-standing restriction would represent a notable change for live football coverage in the UK.

• The SPFL has shown flexibility to potential bidders for its next broadcast cycle.
• The Saturday 3pm blackout has been in place across the UK since the 1960s.
• UEFA's Article 48 allows the restriction as long as at least half of professional matches kick off at 3pm.
• If fewer than 50% of Scottish fixtures kick off at 3pm on Saturdays, the blackout could be lifted.
• The Premier League and the EFL could then explore a similar approach.

What is the Saturday 3pm blackout and why was it introduced

The Saturday 3pm blackout is a UK-wide broadcasting restriction that prevents live television coverage of football matches scheduled in that kick-off slot. It was originally brought in during the 1960s to protect attendances at stadiums, encouraging fans to watch games in person rather than from home.

The rule has remained in place for decades through UEFA's Article 48, which contains a clause allowing leagues to impose broadcasting restrictions if 50% or more of professional matches are scheduled for the protected kick-off time. As long as that threshold is met, the blackout can be maintained without breaching UEFA regulations.

How the SPFL is approaching its next broadcast rights cycle

For the upcoming rights sale, the Scottish league has invited broadcasters to bid for more games than the current cycle contains. However, the SPFL is not attempting to sell every fixture in the next period, leaving room to adjust the schedule without fully abandoning the 3pm slot.

That approach has direct implications for the blackout. If the new distribution of televised matches means fewer than half of professional fixtures kick off at 3pm on a Saturday, the league would no longer be required to implement UEFA's Article 48. In that scenario, the Saturday 3pm blackout in Scotland could be lifted.

What ending the blackout could mean for British football

Removing the blackout in Scotland would be a significant moment for live football coverage in the UK. Other domestic competitions, such as the Premier League and the English Football League, could then look at introducing a similar policy if the Scottish model proves workable.

The Premier League still operates a Saturday 3pm blackout, but it now shows all matches across the rest of the weekend. Its TV schedule includes 8pm games on Fridays and Mondays, with Saturday slots at 12.30pm, 5.30pm and 8pm. On Sundays, Sky Sports broadcasts every match kicking off at 2pm, along with the 4.30pm fixture, which is usually reserved for the biggest game of the weekend.

Why UEFA Article 48 matters in this decision

Article 48 is the regulatory mechanism that has allowed the blackout to survive for so long. Its clause states that broadcasting restrictions can only be applied when at least half of a competition's professional matches share the same kick-off time. That provision protects stadium attendances, but it also shapes how leagues design their fixture schedules.

If the SPFL reduces the proportion of matches at 3pm on Saturdays below that threshold, the top flight would no longer need to rely on Article 48. The blackout would become a voluntary policy rather than a regulatory requirement, opening the door to live coverage in that slot without friction with UEFA.