Manchester City vs Brentford: UK Supporters Unable to Watch Premier League Clash

Manchester City supporters in the UK will be unable to watch the Premier League fixture against Brentford due to broadcasting rights.

Background

Tonight's clash with the Bees is the Blues' game in hand over Arsenal in the title race after this fixture, originally scheduled for December, was postponed because City were competing at the FIFA Club World Cup. Pep Guardiola's side have also played one game fewer than Liverpool however Jurgen Klopp's team will play on Wednesday night against Luton Town due to their participation in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.

Broadcasting Restrictions

Originally, this fixture was scheduled to take place at 3pm on a Saturday when there is a nationwide blackout for matches. These rules are implemented to preserve the sanctity of lower-league football who argue televised games at this time will harm attendances.

Despite this rearranged game now starting at 7:30pm on a Tuesday, outside of the blackout, the original decision from broadcasters not to televise this game stands, meaning it won't be available to watch in the UK. However, supporters abroad will be able to watch the match live.

Countries like the US and Canada have broadcast partners who will be showing the action. The rule which blocks the viewing of rearranged 3pm matches in the UK has been heavily criticised by supporters but is set to change for the 2025/26 season.

Future Changes

A new broadcast deal announced by the Premier League in December means all games which do not take place on Saturday at 3pm will be shown live in the UK. There will also be more midweek matchdays where games are shown simultaneously and fans can choose which to watch.

Alternative Coverage

Supporters who are not attending the game at the Etihad Stadium shall be able to follow all the action from the game in our live blog updates here.