Premier League to break 3pm blackout rule after King Charles Coronation confusion

The Premier League schedule has been affected by the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III, resulting in a rare occurrence of a televised game starting at 3 pm on a Saturday, which is not a common practice in English football.

Despite the traditional 3 pm blackout rule in English football, Manchester City's Premier League match against Leeds will be televised on Saturday, with the rule temporarily lifted.

The English FA is one of the few football associations that adheres to UEFA's article 48, which mandates a blackout period where no football game can be broadcast live on television. This period typically lasts from 2:45 pm to 5:15 pm on Saturdays, and applies to both foreign leagues broadcast in the UK and games within the English football pyramid.

While the blackout period has been lifted in the past, such as during the resumption of Premier League football after the Covid-19 pandemic hiatus, the Coronation of King Charles III is the latest reason for lifting the rule.

Sky Sports initially scheduled Manchester City's match against Leeds United on Sunday. However, due to City's upcoming Champions League fixture against Real Madrid, the broadcaster had to reschedule the game for Saturday, resulting in the usual 3pm blackout rule being lifted for this match.

A Saturday lunchtime slot was out of the question, though. That would clash with the Coronation of the new king, with the ceremony scheduled for 12pm.

The Coronation itself might only take up part of the day, but it requires a significant police presence. For this reason, the game can't be moved to the Saturday 5.30 slot either.