Scottish Premiership makes first UK move to remove Saturday 3pm broadcast blackout

Scottish Premiership invites bids to televise all matches from 2029, including Saturday 3pm kickoffs currently banned under UEFA rules, in a coordinated UK move to lift the broadcast blackout.

The Scottish Professional Football League has issued a tender allowing broadcasters to bid for live rights to all matches from 2029 onwards, including Saturday 3pm games currently prohibited under Article 48 of UEFA's statutes. The move is expected to be part of a coordinated effort by UK domestic leagues to remove the Saturday afternoon broadcast blackout, which has restricted live coverage between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays.

The UK is the last country in Europe to invoke Article 48, which allows football associations to stipulate blackout periods. Sources suggest it is increasingly unlikely that the four British Football Associations will apply blocked hours after 2029. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters confirmed in August that lifting Article 48 is under active discussion, with a decision expected within 18 months.

Currently, UK broadcasters can show only 35% of fixtures across the Premier League, EFL and Scottish Premiership combined. Lifting the blackout would allow leagues to sell significantly more matches to broadcasters and raise additional revenues.