Sky Sports adds descriptive audio and live subtitles to Premier League coverage from Man Utd vs Spurs

Sky Sports is rolling out two new accessibility features for its Premier League coverage, launching with Manchester United’s clash against Tottenham at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.

The broadcaster is introducing Live Descriptive Audio Commentary and live subtitles, both designed to help blind and visually impaired supporters follow the action. The descriptive commentary will cover player movement, substitutions, and refereeing signals, while subtitles will appear throughout the match.

The timing comes two days after World Sight Day on Thursday, 8 October, the annual global event raising awareness of blindness and visual impairment. Sky developed the features in response to feedback from customers and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Live subtitles will be a permanent addition to Sky’s Premier League output, with around 210 matches per season set to carry them. The Live Descriptive Audio Commentary, however, will be limited to one match per week. Both features have been integrated into Sky’s existing platform, with the descriptive commentary accessible via voice control.

Karin Seymour of Sky said: “This partnership is a great example of how sponsorship can go beyond traditional brand activity and deliver something tangible for audiences. By co-funding the initiative, Sky Media is bringing accessibility improvements to show how brands can use the scale of sports sponsorship to create a meaningful and lasting impact for fans.”

The United–Spurs fixture itself carries considerable weight beyond the broadcast innovation. Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has recorded just one win from the club’s opening five league games, while Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi has seen his side drop to the foot of the table through the first two months of the season.