The European Union has ruled that a pub landlady can use a foreign TV decoder to show Premier League football.

Karen Murphy had been fined for using a Greek decoder in her Portsmouth pub to bypass the league's controls over the screening of games.

But she took her case to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) who decided on Tuesday that the rules that prevent the use of foreign decoders breached European freedom to provide services laws.

She said the six-year battle had “taken up quite a chunk of my life but I am glad I did it”.

At present the league sells the rights to show games on a country by country basis, and cross-territory screening is banned.

The ruling could lead to a major shake up in how the Premier League handles its current exclusive contracts with Sky Sports and ESPN.

A spokesman for Murphy said she was "overwhelmed with relief" at her victory.

The ECJ ruling will now go to the High Court in London for a final decision.