How to watch the Champions League 2025/26 in the UK for free

The new Champions League 2025/26 season kicked off 16 September, and UK fans can watch most games with Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports together. However, subscribing to two platforms can be expensive, especially when other countries get to stream the matches for free.

Luckily, you can use a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions on foreign streaming platforms. For example, you can connect to a server in Ireland and watch games for free on Virgin Media. A VPN changes your IP address, so it looks like you’re connecting from a location where the streaming service is available.

Continue reading to find out the ways to watch the Champions League in the UK completely free. I’ll guide you through the detailed instructions on multiple devices and provide VPN suggestions that worked best during my tests.

Cheapest way to watch the Champions League in the UK

The cheapest way to watch the Champions League in the UK is using a high-quality VPN and connecting to a server in a country where the matches are free. For example, you can connect to a server in Ireland and stream matches that are available on Virgin Media and RTÉ Player streaming platforms.

You can see all the streaming service options to watch UEFA matches in the UK below:

Without a VPN, the price would jump to anywhere from £28.99/month because only select matches are streamed on Amazon Prime Video. If you want to watch more than 17 exclusive matches, you’d have to get TNT Sports on top of it, which raises the price significantly.

A VPN costs just a few pounds per month, and you can use it to watch football matches for free by connecting to a server in another location, like Belgium, Ireland, or Turkey. For example, you can get NordVPN starting from just £2.39/month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Best VPNs to watch the Champions League in the UK

I researched the VPN market and tested dozens of services to find out which ones are best for unblocking foreign streaming services and watching the Champions League. I also took into account their speeds while streaming and pricing. Here are my top choices for UK fans who want to watch the Champions League for free:

1. 1. NordVPN – best VPN to watch the Champions League from the UK
2. 2. Surfshark – affordable VPN for Champions League matches in the UK
3. 3. ExpressVPN – streaming-optimized VPN for the Champions League

 

All of these VPNs managed to access free matches on Virgin Media with Irish servers. Let’s review my insights in more detail.

1. NordVPN – best VPN to watch the Champions League from the UK

NordVPN

1

9.7

/10

Visit NordVPN

Pros & cons

• Can effortlessly bypass geo-restrictions
• Large server network in 118 countries
• Lagging-free speed retention rates
• Independently audited no-logging policy
• Malicious website and ad blocker

• Free trial only on Android

NordVPN is the best VPN to watch the Champions League 2025/26 season in the UK. During my tests, it effortlessly accessed the streaming platforms that broadcast the Champions League outside the country. For example, I accessed the RTÉ Player and Virgin Media Player and could watch UEFA Champions League matches with a server in Ireland completely free.

All I had to do after enabling the geo-blocking VPN to access the stream was create an account. In terms of performance, I couldn’t detect any lagging issues while streaming football matches either. During my tests, the VPN retained around 92% of initial connection speeds on average.

You can get NordVPN starting from £2.39/month. You can claim the free NordVPN trial on Android for 3 days and make use of a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – affordable VPN for Champions League matches in the UK

Surfshark

1

9.6

/10

Visit Surfshark

Pros & cons

 

• Has no issues bypassing streaming blocks
• Showed no lagging during the stream
• One of the cheapest VPNs
• Unlimited simultaneous connections

• Based in a 14-eyes surveillance alliance

Surfshark is another affordable VPN that you can use to stream the UEFA Champions League in the UK. Its prices start from £1.49/month only. And the best part – it accessed the geo-restricted platforms, like Virgin Media and RTÉ Player in Ireland or RTL in Belgium, without issues.

When unblocking the streaming sites, I also tested the VPN’s speeds. While Surfshark isn’t as fast as NordVPN, it still didn’t show any lagging issues. It showed an average of 88% speed retention rates.

All Surfshark plans come with unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning you can share it with friends or family. It also comes with a free 7-day trial on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices.

Learn more in our Surfshark review.

3. ExpressVPN – streaming-optimized VPN for the Champions League

ExpressVPN

1

9.5

/10

Visit ExpressVPN

Pros & cons

 

• Bypassed streaming service geo-restrictions
• Retained 88% of initial connection speeds
• Has servers in 3,000 countries
• 14 connections

• Slightly more expensive than competitors

ExpressVPN is a security and streaming-oriented VPN to watch Champions League in the UK. It offers the MediaStreamer feature that’s a DNS service that can improve your streaming experience. During my tests, the VPN accessed the matches on Virgin Media and the RTÉ Player with an Irish server.

ExpressVPN isn’t as fast as NordVPN, but it still promises great performance. During my 40-minute stream test, I didn’t experience any lag. I logged the results, and ExpressVPN retained an average of 89% initial connection speeds.

You can get ExpressVPN starting from £2.56/month, which is a bit more expensive than NordVPN or Surfshark. You also get a free 7-day trial on Android and iOS, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our ExpressVPN review.

Comparison of the best VPNs for Champions League

To help you choose the right option, I’ve compiled my research and test results into one VPN comparison table. You can find the best VPNs for watching the Champions League in the UK below.

Winner

NordVPN

Get NordVPN, now 79% off

How to watch the Champions League with a VPN from the UK?

Setting up a VPN to watch the Champions League isn’t a highly technical process, so you’ll set it up even if you haven’t used a VPN before. Here’s how to do it on your computer (Windows or macOS):

1. Choose a VPN that can unblock streaming services. NordVPN, now 79% off, worked best during my tests.
2. Sign up for the VPN service and install the app on your device.
3. Open the app and connect to a server in a location where Champions League matches are free. For example, Ireland, Belgium, or Turkey.
4. Open the streaming platform of your choice, create an account, and stream matches for free.
5. That’s it. If you have issues with accessing the stream, use another server in the same location, and open the platform in Incognito mode.

How to watch the Champions League on mobile

If you’re planning to watch the Champions League on your mobile device, you can easily set up a VPN on it too. The process is similar to desktop devices; just follow these steps for Android or iPhone:

1. Pick a VPN that has loads of servers. My top suggestion is NordVPN.
2. Install the VPN app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
3. Sign up and subscribe to a plan or claim a free trial.
4. Connect to a server in a country where the streaming service that broadcasts the Champions League is available, like Ireland or Belgium.
5. Open the streaming service of your choice and start watching the matches.

How to watch the Champions League on a smart TV

Setting up a VPN on a smart TV to watch the Champions League is a bit different than on other devices. If you have an Android TV, you can simply download the native app onto the device. For other TVs, you’ll need to set it up on a router. Here’s a quick guide on how to do it:

1. Choose a VPN that works on routers. NordVPN works best for me.
2. Make sure your router supports the OpenVPN client to proceed. If it doesn’t, you may need to get a different router.
3. Set up your VPN on the router.
4. Connect to a server in Ireland, Belgium, or another country where matches are free to watch.
5. Open the streaming service and enjoy the live football matches.

If you find the setup too complicated, I’d recommend installing the VPN on your computer and streaming to your TV via an HDMI cable instead.

2025/2026 Champions League schedule

Make sure you don’t miss a single game – check out the full Champions League Matchday 2 schedule for the 2025/26 season.

Final thoughts

Watching the Champions League from the UK can quickly become pricey, since you need an Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports subscription to stream all games. So, the cheapest way to watch football matches live in the UK is to use a VPN to connect to a server in a country where the games are broadcast for free.

My top recommendation is to use NordVPN, as it worked best at bypassing Virgin Media and RTÉ Player geo-blocks with a server in Ireland. It costs from £2.39/month and is one of the fastest VPNs I’ve tested, so not only could I access the Champions League matches for free, I also streamed without any lagging.