Uefa to sanction English football bodies after broadcast clash

Football’s European governing body Uefa said it would sanction England’s Football Association and Premier League after Tuesday’s Liverpool v Everton Premier League game was broadcast live on the same night as Champions League games were shown live on UK television.

Uefa said the live broadcast of the Premier League game on pay-television broadcaster BSkyB’s Sky Sports 1 channel contravened an agreement between the governing body and the European Professional Football Leagues, of which the Premier League is a member.

“There is a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Uefa and the EPFL which is also a basis for all national associations on the procedures and circumstances of use of Uefa dates,” a Uefa spokesman told Scottish newspaper The Herald. “Top division matches cannot be on international match calendar dates, but exceptions are possible. The [Liverpool v Everton] game has not been approved by Uefa. The FA and the Premier League are aware about this and will face sanctions.”

The Liverpool v Everton game was shown at the same time as the Champions League games between Internazionale and Marseille on Sky Sports 4 and Bayern Munich v Basle on Sky Sports 2.

The Scottish Football Association wrote to Uefa for clarification of the issue of clashing matches following Tuesday’s clash, after being told that the Heart of Midlothian v St Johnstone Scottish Cup replay on Tuesday, February 14 could not be televised live due to clashes with ties in Uefa’s Europa League. Each club missed out on £82,500 (€98,000/$129,000) of broadcasting income as a result.