ARMCHAIR Aston Villa fans will be able to watch their side’s first European tie for 13 years live on TV on Wednesday. SunSport can reveal BBC Scotland has obtained the rights to broadcast the Battle of Britain first-leg Europa Conference League clash in Edinburgh.
Villa fans have only been allocated 1,000 tickets for the eagerly anticipated cross-border clash at Easter Road, with stay-at-home fans fearing they faced a TV blackout. However, Hibernian have struck an agreement with the Beeb which will allow fans to watch the action, with coverage starting at 5:30pm for the match which has a 5.45pm kick-off.
At the qualifying stage of the Europa Conference League TV rights are negotiated by the home club, rather than UEFA.
The return leg at Villa Park on Thursday, August 31 will be covered live by TNT Sports, formerly known as BT Sports, with an 8pm kick-off.
Villa are appearing in Europe for the first time since 2010 after finishing seventh in the Premier League last season. The club’s previous European campaign saw them eliminated by Austrian side Rapid Wien in the Europa League play-off round. A victory against Hibernian would see Villa through to their first continental group stage since the 2008/09 UEFA Cup.
Next week’s second leg will be followed by the draw for the group stage on September 1. Villa are the only English club in the Europa Conference League, which was won by West Ham last season.
## Aston Villa Fans Can Watch Europa Conference League Clash on BBC Scotland
Aston Villa fans who are unable to secure tickets for their team’s first European tie in 13 years will still be able to watch the match live on TV. BBC Scotland has acquired the rights to broadcast the Battle of Britain first-leg Europa Conference League clash between Aston Villa and Hibernian in Edinburgh. The match will be available to viewers on various satellite platforms, iPlayer, and the BBC Sport Scotland website.
The limited allocation of 1,000 tickets for Villa fans sparked concerns of a TV blackout for those unable to attend the match at Easter Road. However, Hibernian has reached an agreement with the BBC to ensure that fans can watch the action from the comfort of their homes. Coverage of the match will begin at 5:30pm, ahead of the 5:45pm kick-off.
Unlike the UEFA-controlled stages of the Europa Conference League, TV rights for the qualifying stage are negotiated by the home club. This allowed Hibernian to secure a deal with the BBC to broadcast the match and provide access to fans who were unable to secure tickets.
The return leg of the Europa Conference League tie will take place at Villa Park on Thursday, August 31. TNT Sports, formerly known as BT Sports, will cover the match live, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm.
Aston Villa’s participation in the Europa Conference League marks their return to European competition after an absence of 13 years. The team finished seventh in the Premier League last season, earning them a spot in the tournament. In their previous European campaign in 2010, Villa was eliminated by Austrian side Rapid Wien in the Europa League play-off round. A victory against Hibernian would see Villa progress to their first continental group stage since the 2008/09 UEFA Cup.
Following the second leg of the tie, which will take place next week, the draw for the group stage of the Europa Conference League will be held on September 1. Aston Villa is the only English club participating in the tournament, with West Ham being the previous winners of the competition.
Football fans eagerly anticipating Aston Villa’s European clash can now rest assured that they will be able to watch the match live on BBC Scotland. The availability of TV coverage ensures that even those without tickets can still support their team from home. With Villa’s return to European competition after a long absence, fans will be eagerly tuning in to witness this historic moment for the club.