The Listed Events (Coverage) Regulations 2026

Explanatory note

Reproduced verbatim from the instrument as published on legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). The note is prepared by the responsible government department and is not part of the instrument itself.

These Regulations make provision in connection with the listed events regime set out in Part 4 of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (“ the Act ”) (as amended by the Media Act 2024). Listed events are sporting and other events of national interest designated by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 97 of the Act.

Section 101 of the Act restricts providers of “ relevant services ” (as defined by section 98(7) of the Act) which are provided with a view to being available to members of the public in the United Kingdom or in any area of the United Kingdom from including live coverage of a listed event in a relevant service, unless authorised in accordance with that section.

Regulation 2 makes provision about when coverage of listed events is or is not to be treated as “ live coverage ” for the purposes of the regime.

Regulation 3 relates to when live coverage of listed events which are sporting events that involve different sports is authorised. It sets out when rights to provide additional coverage of such an event are to be taken to represent the provision of “adequate live coverage” of that event for the purposes of section 101(4)(c) of the Act.

Regulations 4 to 7 relate to when live coverage of listed events in Group B is authorised. Regulations 4 to 6 set out when rights to provide additional coverage of a Group B event are to be taken to represent the provision of “adequate alternative coverage” of that event for the purposes of section 101(6)(c) of the Act, and make provision in relation to audiovisual coverage and radio commentary. Regulation 7 sets out the requirements that must be satisfied for the purposes of section 101(6)(d) of the Act by the persons who have acquired rights to provide alternative coverage.

Ofcom carried out and consulted on an assessment of the likely impact of making these Regulations in its public consultation, in accordance with section 7 of the Communications Act 2003. An assessment of the impact of this instrument was included in the statement published on 29 January 2026 (available at www.ofcom.org.uk or by writing to Ofcom at Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA (tel. 020 7981 3000)).