The UK government is proposing new legislation aimed at ensuring certain high-profile sports “crown jewel” events remain available to viewers without being placed behind paywalls on streaming services. Under the proposals, rights to stream and provide catch-up coverage for events including the World Cup would be restricted from being sold in a way that limits access for UK audiences to paid streaming platforms. The aim is to protect public access to major sporting competitions that draw significant interest domestically. The move follows ongoing debate about how sports rights are packaged and distributed across different broadcasting and streaming outlets, and whether audiences can continue to watch major events through established, widely accessible channels. If enacted, the legislation would create a regulatory framework governing how these rights can be marketed and delivered, with the government seeking to prevent “crown jewel” sports from becoming effectively subscription-only for viewers in the UK. Further details on which events are covered and how the rules would be applied are expected as the proposals progress.