Overview

The General Court has dismissed actions from UEFA and FIFA seeking the annulment of two European Commission decisions approving UK and Belgian rules that the final tournament of the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Football Championship must be broadcast on free to air television.

The result of the Court's ruling is that Member States retain discretion to decide which sporting events are of major importance to society and which therefore can be prohibited from being shown on pay television.

Taylor Wessing provides the facts and implications of the case.

To read more click ‘view briefing’.