How to stream live football matches and other sports

Until the Euros and Copa América conclude, It’s still technically the 2023-24 football season. But isn’t it actually the season for sports all the time? With sporting events happening all throughout the year, we’re never long off from another match or a competition kicking off. 

Recent years have seen a downward trend in people watching live broadcast TV, with many signing up for streaming service subscriptions to keep up with their favourite sports instead. Streaming offers the flexibility to watch the games you want, anywhere you want! Whether you’re into rugby, darts, cricket, or football — finding a cheap way to watch all the live action is easier than you think.

What you need for streaming

Watching sports over a live stream is simple. All you need to get started is broadband, a device to watch on, and a TV licence. You’ll also want to create an account for a streaming subscription service which will be showing the games and matches you want to watch.

Get connected

Your first step to streaming live sports events is an internet connection! Full fibre broadband is the best way to guarantee a reliable connection that delivers high-quality visuals, and keeps delays and lags to a minimum so you get the action in real-time.

Use a suitable device

Live games can be streamed on virtually any device that can be connected to the internet, such as smart TVs, laptops, and computers. You can even watch streams while on-the-move using tablet and smartphone apps – ideal for international sports games in different time zones!

Smart TVs have apps for most streaming services, and can be easily adapted using an Amazon Fire TV Stick to give you access to a wider range of apps. All you need to do is set up the app and gather your friends or family around the TV to enjoy the game together. Streaming on a laptop or computer is also fairly simple. You can access browser versions of your preferred streaming service to tune in to matches.

Get a TV licence

Many streaming services also give you the option to watch live programmes, so you get the best of both worlds! However, a valid TV licence is legally required to watch live games through your streaming service in the UK. So you’ll need to make sure you’ve paid for TV licensing in addition to any costs from your streaming subscription.

Best streaming services to watch live sports

As this Reddit user is discovering, we’re spoiled for choice for streaming services these days — it can be hard to know which one to choose to make sure you can keep up with the football.

When it comes to finding the best service for watching sports, it comes down to three main considerations: cost, quality, and whether the provider will actually show the matches you want to see.

Some services are free to sign up for, and all require a paid TV licence to watch games live. However, the free services sometimes have more ads and other restrictions. Paid platforms usually get rid of those pesky ads, and offer you other options such as video quality settings and subtitles.

Below are the best streaming platforms to consider for watching sports:

ITVX

ITVX is the digital home of the beloved TV channel, ITV, with a large catalogue of exclusive series and movies available. They broadcast a few selected live sport events throughout the year, including EURO 2024 football matches and post-match highlights.

Watching on ITVX is simple, all you need to do to tune into live matches for free is sign up for an account. With great coverage of major sporting events and a broad range of other content at your fingertips, ITVX is a great streaming option for the whole household.

Upgrade to ITVX Premium for £5.99 per month or £59.99 for the whole year — plus, you can get a FREE 7-day trial to try it out.

What we love: Stream live sports for free (in addition to a TV licence).

What we don’t love: Free version includes unskippable ads for on-demand content.

Catch the latest match on the ITVX website, or download the ITVX app from Google Play or the App Store.

BBC iPlayer

BBC iPlayer is another UK staple streaming service, bringing all the programmes from the BBC’s various TV channels into one place. We can count on the BBC to cover major sporting events, including Wimbledon tennis games, the Masters golf tournament, and football matches during the European Championships and the World Cup. 

As BBC iPlayer is ad-free, there are no tiers to the subscription service — it’s all free to watch. Just sign up for an account to access on-demand content and catch games live. 

Get to know your favourite sports personalities closer with BBC iPlayer’s on-demand sports programmes, including documentaries such as Andy Murray: Will to Win and Mbappé, as well as the iconic exclusive show, Match of the Day.

What we love: Stream live sports in HDR for free (in addition to a TV licence).

What we don’t love: Navigating the categories can be a little confusing, so we’d suggest using the search bar to find the game you want.

Start watching live sports on the BBC iPlayer website, or download the BBC iPlayer app from Google Play or the App Store.

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime offers a whole lot more than fast delivery on your online shopping! Prime Video regularly broadcasts an even wider range of live sport than ITVX or BBC iPlayer, including tennis, rugby, and hockey. If you have an existing Amazon Prime membership, you already have access to Amazon Prime Video and can watch some live sports as part of your existing subscription.

Amazon Prime Video also has additional channel options and pay-per-view live event passes to give you access to sports from all over the world that aren’t widely shown on UK TV, such as MLB and NBA games.

Sports aside, Prime Video has a seemingly infinite collection of movies and shows to watch — so you’ll be able to get good use out of it even in the off-season.

Amazon Prime offers a very generous 30-day trial period so you can experience all it has to offer. After the trial period, it costs £8.99 a month if you want to spread the payments, or £95 a year if you pay annually.

What we love: Wider range of sports.

What we don’t: Extra costs for channels in addition to the initial subscription cost.

Find the Amazon Prime Video app on most smart TVs, or pick up an Amazon Fire TV Stick to turn any TV into a smart TV. The Prime Video app is also included in the Community Fibre TV box. Download the Amazon Prime Video app from Google Play or the App Store to watch on mobile devices. 

Sky Sports and NOW

Sky Sports is one of the most popular ways to watch live games, and it’s easy to see why. Whether it’s football, darts, or rugby, Sky Sports invest in attention to detail so you don’t miss a moment of the action. 

With 9 channels dedicated to different sports, Sky Sports shows live events 24/7! On Sky Sports Football, fans can tune in to Premier League and Bundesliga games, then switch over to Sky Sports Cricket to follow the T20 World Cup matches. 

Sky Sports is on the pricier side, at £22 a month with a minimum 24-month contract. You also need to have a Sky TV package which increases the overall price even further. Or, you can sign up for a 6-month Sky Sports-only membership through NOW, which is part of Sky.

There’s no need to sign up for a long-term contract or high-costs if you just want to tune into specific games. Sky Sports offer daily, monthly, and mobile passes with the NOW Sports Membership as a more flexible, contract-free option — though not all live programmes are available with these.

What we love: Coverage of a range of sports 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What we don’t love: Long-term contracts.

Watch live sports on the Sky Sports website, or download the Sky Sports app from Google Play or the App Store.

For a more flexible way to access Sky Sports, sign up for a NOW membership on the NOW website, or download the app from Google Play or the App Store.

TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport)

TNT Sports, formerly known as BT Sport, is a paid subscription to a group of sports channels. Another great option for sports enthusiasts, TNT Sports shows live sports from around the world, including Champions League games, Gallagher Premiership rugby matches, and even WWE events. You can even stay up to date with the Olympic Games by following TNT Sport’s extensive coverage this year.

TNT Sports costs £30.99 a month, with a minimum one-month subscription. As part of the subscription, you also get access to non-sports channels, such as Discovery and TLC to get your reality TV fix.

What we love: Detailed live coverage and highlights of sports.

What we don’t love: Necessary subscription to other non-sporting channels.

Catch the latest live events on the TNT Sports website, or download the TNT Sports app from Google Play or the App Store.

Premier Sports

Live TV 

Several UK TV channels regularly broadcast sporting events and international matches, such as Channel 4. Every game in EURO 2024 can be watched on BBC or ITV, meaning if you have access to these channels, you don’t have to pay extra streaming costs – you’ll just need a TV licence!

Visit the TV Licensing official website to set up your TV licence if you don’t have one already.

How much data does streaming live matches require?

The amount of data used per sports stream will depend on a number of factors — particularly the video quality. Typically usage for video quality includes:

• Standard definition (SD) - 1 GB per hour

• High-definition (HD)  - 2.5 GB per hour

• Ultra high-definition (UHD) - 10 GB per hour

For example, streaming a 90 minute football match in HD could use around 3.75 GB in total. When you take the possibility of extra time and penalty shootouts into account, this could end up going much further!

When streaming at home, make sure your home broadband provider doesn’t have any data caps. If your provider is putting a limit on how much data you can use each month, it’s worth switching to an alternative provider who offers unlimited data so you don't have to worry about going over your allowance.

Get ready to watch matches with full fibre broadband

Don’t let your stream fall behind like this Reddit user’s neighbour! Follow our tips to improve the quality of your live sports streams:

• Try reducing the video stream quality if experiencing frequent lags and a decline in visuals.

• Move your streaming device closer to your WiFi router or try a wired Ethernet connection to get the fastest speeds.

• Traditional broadband using outdated copper cables tends to be slower and less reliable than fibre cables. Upgrade to full fibre broadband for faster speeds and a more stable connection.

Community Fibre uses 100% full fibre technology to handle the demands of everyday life — and the fast-paced action of every football match.

Explore our broadband packages to elevate your live stream viewing experience. Add Community Fibre TV to your package and get access to live football matches across broadcast TV and premium apps.

Sports live streaming FAQs

Are streaming websites legal?

No. There are several ‘free’ live stream websites out there, but these are not legal to watch and using these could result in you being fined. These websites are typically unsafe, and using them puts your digital safety at risk as you could accidentally download a virus or malicious malware. Plus, the quality of the streams on free sites are often very poor and prone to drop-outs and severe delays which could result in you missing out on key moments.

Can I watch live football on TV?

Yes! Our TV package gives you access to over 200 channels, so you can watch the Premier League, Champions League, and more sporting events throughout the year.

Can I watch sports live streams for free?

You may not have to pay any additional costs to watch live sports if you already have a subscription to a streaming service and a valid TV licence. 

You can watch sports for free by finding a local pub or bar that’s showing the game. What better way to enjoy the match than to be surrounded by other fans!

Note: All streaming service costs and availability correct at the time of publishing 12/07/2024.