Monday 15 June 2026 1:00 pm | Updated: Monday 15 June 2026 12:17 pm UK social media ban blow to sports rights holders using TikTok and YouTube By: Matt Hardy Deputy Sports Editor - City AM Share Facebook Share on Facebook X Share on Twitter LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn WhatsApp Share on WhatsApp Email Share on Email Add as a preferred source on Google The UK’s incoming social media ban will be a blow to sports rights holders The UK’s incoming social media ban for under-16s will be a blow to sports rights holders and wider marketing strategies, experts have warned. The government on Monday announced that there will be a ban on social media for those aged 16 and under from next year – covering the likes of X, TikTok, Twitch and YouTube – while a curfew will limit access for those between 16 and 18. It comes as a growing number of sports organisations, from Fifa and Uefa to league and clubs, have turned to social media to try to reach younger audiences. Influencers such as Mark Goldbridge have used YouTube to amass huge followings and encourage engagement with sports content. The Goldbridge empire was acquired by Gary Neville’s The Overlap network in April. Professor Rob Wilson told City AM : “A social media ban is unlikely to stop Gen Z following football, but it could fundamentally change how the next generation of fans is reached. News Updates Stay ahead with our three daily briefings delivering all the key market moves, top business and political stories, and incisive analysis straight to your inbox. “For creator-led brands such as Mark Goldbridge and fan media platforms like The United Stand, the real risk is now the rising customer acquisition costs as advertisers lose the ability to target teenagers directly. “That shift could expose whether investor expectations have overestimated the ease and economics of acquiring young fans, putting pressure on valuations built around rapid audience growth and low-cost social distribution.” Social media ban reality A YouTube spokesperson said the incoming legislation could “push kids out of curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less safe services”. This year’s Fifa World Cup is the first where matches are being broadcast on TikTok and YouTube, while more football clubs are using the platforms to broadcast pre-season friendlies and spread specialist content to teen audiences. Multiple sports clubs have told City AM that the changes will result in a shift in approach to their marketing and social media strategy. But it is a win for Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger group in the battle with fellow former footballer Neville, with Lineker’s podcast broadcast on Netflix daily throughout the World Cup. Read more Disney+ snaps up Gary Neville’s The Overlap and new Wayne Rooney hosted show Share this article Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Similarly tagged content: Sections Sport News Categories Sport Business Business Football Media People & Organisations football Goalhanger Films Mark Goldbridge social media ban The Overlap TikTok Twitch Youtube Related Topics Football Football finance Trending Articles Pensioners to hand over bank statements in government benefits crackdown Jaguar reveals the Type 01’s screen-free interior Jamie Carragher: HMRC petitions for Sky Sports star to be declared bankrupt City firms mandate phone and face-to-face comms bootcamps for Gen Z lawyers Jamie Vardy bags Bundesliga rights as he steps up streaming war with Neville and Lineker More from City AM Disney+ snaps up Gary Neville’s The Overlap and new Wayne Rooney hosted show Sport Business Jamie Vardy bags Bundesliga rights as he steps up streaming war with Neville and Lineker Sport Business KSI to stream Dagenham and Redbridge games to his 19m YouTube followers Sport Business I built my career on social media as a teen. I still think banning under-16s is right Opinion Trainees ‘exploiting’ aspiring lawyers by monetising advice on social media Legal Liverpool and LA Lakers deals set new bar for sport investment Sport Business Extraordinary athletes, ordinary content: why even Nike should make more of its talent Sport Business Meta glasses court ban sparks privacy warning for City businesses Legal Subscribe Subscribe to the City AM newsletter to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. Subscribe By signing up to our newsletters you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .
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