Scottish football could be heading for one of the biggest changes to television coverage in decades with Saturday 3pm Premiership matches potentially shown live from 2029.
The SPFL has opened the bidding process for its next domestic television deal and is giving broadcasters far greater flexibility over how many games they want to show.
That could include matches played at the traditional 3pm kick-off on Saturdays, which are currently protected by football’s long-standing television blackout.
The change could allow every Scottish Premiership match to be shown live in the UK during the next broadcast cycle.
The SPFL issued its invitation to tender on 20 October for rights beginning with the 2029/30 season.
In its public announcement, the league said it was “flexible about the number of games that it shows live in future” and invited prospective broadcasters to discuss their preferences.
That flexibility extends to the possibility of broadcasters bidding for Saturday afternoon matches if the existing restrictions are no longer in force by 2029. BBC Sport reports that bids could potentially cover every Premiership game.
Under UEFA’s Article 48 regulations, national football associations can designate periods when live football cannot be broadcast in their territory.
For the 2026/27 season, the Scottish FA has designated blocked hours on most Saturdays between 2.45pm and 5.15pm. UEFA lists a number of weekends when the restrictions do not apply.
The blackout was introduced amid concerns that showing football live on television at the traditional Saturday afternoon kick-off could damage attendances, particularly at smaller clubs.
It means supporters in Scotland can often legally watch Premiership matches live overseas which are unavailable to viewers in the UK. The restriction has become increasingly controversial as broadcasting and streaming have expanded.
Under the current arrangements, Sky Sports can show up to 60 Scottish Premiership matches each season, while Premier Sports can screen up to another 22. Those agreements remain in place until the end of the 2028/29 season.
There are 228 Premiership fixtures in a full season, meaning the majority of matches are still not available live to domestic television viewers.
That could change dramatically under the next deal.
Reports surrounding the tender indicate broadcasters are being given scope to propose much broader coverage, although there is no guarantee that a company will ultimately bid for every match or that the clubs will approve such an agreement.
Any attempt to show regular Saturday 3pm fixtures would also depend on the blackout rules being changed.
The Scottish FA is responsible for deciding whether to nominate protected broadcasting hours in Scotland.
The Premier League and English Football League have also been examining the future of the blackout ahead of their next television rights cycles.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said earlier this year that a decision would have to be taken before the next round of domestic broadcast negotiations.
SPFL group chief executive Neil Doncaster said when the new tender was launched: “Securing strong broadcast partnerships is an essential element in maintaining a balanced and sustainable income mix for the SPFL and its clubs.
“We anticipate strong interest from broadcasters in what is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most exciting national league competitions.”