Statement: Listed events – implementing the Media Act 2024

Statement published 29 January 2026

The listed events regime aims to ensure certain sporting events, such as the Olympic Games and the men’s and women’s football World Cups, are widely available to audiences for free. As part of implementing changes to the listed events regime by the Media Act, Ofcom is required to define a number of terms used in the regime and revise our Code on listed events. 

Live sport has the power to bring people across the country together, promoting a sense of national identity, engagement and pride among people of different backgrounds, circumstances and interests. The listed events regime, which has for decades played an important role in creating these shared cultural moments, aims to ensure certain sporting events of national interest – such as the Olympic Games and the men’s and women’s football World Cups – are widely available to audiences in the UK for free. The events themselves are designated by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. 

The Media Act makes significant changes to the listed events regime. Instead of being restricted to traditional broadcast channels, the updated regime will include any services which can be used to show live coverage of listed events to UK audiences – including Public Service Broadcasters’ (PSBs) on-demand players, global media platforms and other internet-based streaming services. The Media Act also changes the categories in which services are split, so that one category broadly includes only services provided by PSBs. All other services are in the other category. 

As part of implementing these changes, Ofcom is required to define a number of terms used in the regime. We must also revise our Code on listed events. 

This statement sets out our proposed decisions for defining “live coverage”, “adequate live coverage” and “adequate alternative coverage”, and for revising our Code on listed and designated events. 

We have also published: 

• Proposed Regulations to reflect those decisions, together with a notice of our proposal to make the Regulations. We are inviting comments by 5pm on Monday 2 March 2026.  

• An updated version of the Code, which we will issue before the updated regime is commenced. 

• A consultation on our proposal to remove the conditions relating to listed events included in broadcast licences. We invite responses by 5pm on Monday 2 March 2026.