Not all Premier League matches will be broadcast live as first picks announced

Eleven out of the 28 Premier League matches confirmed for September will not be available for fans in the UK to view live after the first batch of televised fixtures for the 2020-21 season were announced.

This season 220 matches will be broadcast live, up from 200 in 2019-20.

However, even though all Premier League matches next month will be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, no arrangement has been put in place similar to the one agreed for the end of last season which meant the final 92 matches were all broadcast live, with 33 of those made available free to air.

The situation for the new season has been described as “ridiculous” by Football Supporters’ Association chief executive Kevin Miles, whilst various individual club supporters’ groups have voiced their opposition.

The EFL has reached agreement with Sky Sports for all non-televised matches in its divisions to be available via stream while restrictions on stadium capacities remain in place, plus those in the Carabao Cup first round.

Premier League clubs are scheduled to be able to welcome fans back on a socially-distanced basis from the start of October, but grounds are expected to be only operating at around a maximum 30 per cent capacity even at that point.