Sport & Media

TV, Agcom expands the list of events to be broadcast free to air

First update since 2012: Paralympics, Coppa Italia, tennis, World Cups of various disciplines and Eurovision. Compulsory free access for at least 80 per cent of Italians

by Andrea Biondi

6 May 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

This is the first update since 2012. Sinner effect above all, one might say. But not only. And it is not a cosmetic touch-up. Agcom puts its hand to the list of events of national importance that must remain accessible in the clear, even when the rights have ended up in the portfolio of operators or paid platforms.
The Council of the Authority, in its session of 29 April, approved - with Commissioner Elisa Giomi voting against - the measure that regulates the modalities of transmission of events considered of particular importance for society.

The basic rule is simple and heavy: the events included in the list approved by decree of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy must be broadcast guaranteeing free access to at least 80% of the Italian population. Translated: whoever buys pay-per-view rights knows that he will not be able to close them in full for a subscription. He will have to publish an offer of assignment at 'fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory' conditions well in advance.

The old list already included the big totems: summer and winter Olympics, World Cup and European Championship football matches, official matches of the national team, semi-finals and finals of the Champions and Europa League with Italian teams on the pitch, Giro d'Italia, Formula 1 and MotoGP, Six Nations, Sanremo, premieres at La Scala and San Carlo, the New Year's concert at La Fenice.

Now the fence widens

Enter the summer and winter Paralympics, the Conference League when Italian teams are involved, the Coppa Italia finals, the Supercoppa di Lega. Tennis becomes sensitive territory: United Cup semifinals and finals with Italia, Slam, Atp and Wta Finals, Masters 1000 and Wta 1000 when Italian athletes are present. There are also the Italian stages of the Tour de France.

Tennis is a big draw (with this list, the Madrid final broadcast by Sky should also have gone free to air). But there is not only tennis and not only football among these events. The new list brings free-to-air the World Cup finals of athletics, swimming, gymnastics, fencing, skating and Alpine skiing if they are played in Italia or with Italian athletes. And on the cultural front it adds the final evening of the Eurovision Song Contest.

It is a choice that captures a changed market: sports rights are increasingly fragmented, global platforms are more aggressive, pay TV is forced to defend the value of subscriptions, and public service is called upon not to back down on major collective events. Agcom thus places a stake: certain events are not just premium content, but moments of general interest.

The measure also provides for conditions for exercising rights, penalties in the event of non-compliance, procedures for settling disputes between operators, and a review clause to update the rules to technological and market developments. The obligation will be triggered upon publication of the resolution, but 'without prejudice to currently existing agreements'.