How to Stream Live Sports in the UK Without Cable

April 30, 2025

Sky Sports Without a Sky Subscription

You don’t need a full Sky TV package to access Sky Sports anymore. Thanks to NOW TV Sports Membership, sports fans can enjoy all 11 Sky Sports channels without being locked into a contract. Whether you’re into Premier League football, Formula 1, or the PGA Tour, this flexible platform has you covered.

NOW TV offers several packages:

Day Pass – £11.99 (great for one-off events)
Month Membership – £34.99
Mobile Membership – £5.99/month (only covers selected channels like Premier League and News)

With NOW TV, you stream through the app, available on smart TVs, game consoles, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. The platform is ideal for fans who only need access on weekends or for specific matches.

BT Sport Without BT Broadband

In 2025, BT Sport has rebranded under the TNT Sports banner and is now offered as part of a Discovery+ Premium plan. The biggest win for viewers? You don’t need a BT broadband connection anymore.

Fans can sign up for TNT Sports via Discovery+ and stream:

Champions League
Europa League
Premiership Rugby
MotoGP

Monthly subscription costs £29.99, and it supports streaming on smart TVs, mobile devices, or casting to Chromecast and Firestick. This is the go-to option for fans of UEFA competitions and combat sports.

Amazon Prime Video for Live Sports

Amazon Prime Video has shaken up UK sports broadcasting by securing exclusive rights to key fixtures. It currently offers:

20 live Premier League matches per season
ATP and WTA Tennis tournaments
US Open coverage
International Rugby (on occasion)

A Prime subscription costs £8.99/month and includes access to movies, series, next-day delivery, and music streaming. It’s a fantastic value proposition for sports fans who also want entertainment.

You can watch via:

Amazon apps on Smart TVs
iOS and Android
Fire TV, Apple TV, and web browsers

DAZN UK: Boxing and Beyond

DAZN continues to focus on combat sports but has steadily expanded its portfolio to include:

Boxing (Matchroom, Golden Boy)
MMA (including Bellator content)
NFL Game Pass
Women’s Champions League

Its user interface is slick and supports HD and 4K streaming on most devices. DAZN’s biggest strength lies in its on-demand content library—making it perfect for fans who want to catch up on fights and shows anytime.

Pricing: £9.99/month or £99.99/year (if paid annually).

Eurosport Player and Discovery+ Bundle

Eurosport remains the go-to channel for Olympic sports, tennis Grand Slams (like Roland Garros and the Australian Open), cycling, snooker, and more. The Discovery+ Premium subscription includes both Eurosport and TNT Sports.

With one subscription, you get:

Eurosport 1 & 2
Full Olympic Games coverage
Live cycling: Tour de France, Giro d’Italia
Tennis Grand Slams

Monthly cost: £6.99 for Eurosport or £29.99 for the full Discovery+ Premium package.

ESPN and International Coverage in the UK

Though ESPN has a limited footprint in the UK, much of its content can be accessed via:

ESPN Player (for niche NCAA sports, college football/basketball)
Disney+ Bundle (in some regions outside UK)
UFC Fight Pass (for UFC content previously shown on ESPN)

VPN usage is also common for fans trying to access ESPN+ from the US.

Free Sports Streaming Legally in the UK

Not everything requires a subscription. These platforms offer completely free access to live and on-demand sports:

BBC iPlayer – FA Cup, Six Nations Rugby, Wimbledon, Olympics
ITVX – UEFA Highlights, Rugby World Cup games, some horse racing
All4 – England cricket highlights, Paralympics
Red Bull TV – Free global extreme sports events

These services support Smart TV apps, web browsers, and mobile devices—completely legal and ad-supported.

Streaming Premier League Matches

In 2025, Premier League broadcasting rights are split between:

Sky Sports – Majority of live matches (128 per season)
TNT Sports – Midweek and Saturday lunchtime games
Amazon Prime – 20 exclusive matches

To catch all the action, a combination of NOW TV, Prime Video, and Discovery+ is essential. Unfortunately, no single service currently offers every match live.

For match highlights:

BBC’s Match of the Day airs on iPlayer
Sky Sports app and YouTube channels offer condensed highlights

Watching Champions League Without Cable

Champions League rights remain with TNT Sports. Access via:

Discovery+ Premium
TNT Sports App
Casting to your TV via AirPlay/Chromecast

Highlights are also posted on the UEFA YouTube channel—great for those who can’t watch live.

Rugby Fans: Streaming the Six Nations & More

Rugby fans in the UK are spoiled for choice when it comes to free and paid streaming options. Here’s how to catch the top tournaments:

Six Nations: Live and free on BBC iPlayer and ITVX
Premiership Rugby: Available via TNT Sports (Discovery+)
Autumn Internationals: Often aired on Prime Video or Channel 4
World Cup: Alternates between ITV and paid partners depending on licensing

With smart TVs and mobile apps available for all these platforms, following England, Wales, Scotland, or Ireland is just a click away.

Tennis Grand Slams Without Traditional TV

You don’t need a Sky or BT subscription to follow the biggest names in tennis:

Wimbledon: Free via BBC iPlayer in full HD
Australian Open and Roland Garros: On Eurosport via Discovery+
US Open: Typically available on Amazon Prime Video

Live streams, player interviews, and highlight packages are all easily accessible across apps, Smart TVs, and streaming sticks.

Formula 1 Streaming Options in 2025

Formula 1 remains one of the most tightly held broadcast packages in the UK, primarily with Sky Sports. However, there are still ways to watch:

NOW TV Sky Sports Pass: Offers full live F1 coverage
F1 TV Pro (Limited in UK): Use with a VPN to access full international coverage with onboard cameras and telemetry
Channel 4: Broadcasts F1 race highlights and British GP live

F1 TV Pro is particularly attractive for hardcore fans interested in telemetry, team radio, and race analysis.

Cricket Streaming: The Ashes, IPL and More

UK cricket fans can catch their favourite matches through a combination of free and subscription-based services:

The Ashes and England home matches: Sky Sports or NOW TV
IPL: Usually on Sky or DAZN
The Hundred: Shared between BBC iPlayer and Sky
Highlights: Often shown on BBC or Channel 5

DAZN is gradually gaining traction in the cricket world, especially with T20 leagues.

Golf Majors Live Online

Fans of The Open or The Masters can stream coverage without a traditional cable package:

Sky Sports Golf via NOW TV: All major PGA and European Tour events
BBC iPlayer: Offers The Open highlights
Masters.com: Free streams of live featured groups and Amen Corner

Combine these with mobile apps for updates on scores, tee times, and highlights.

How to Use a VPN for Accessing Sports Abroad

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) lets you bypass regional restrictions to access content licensed in other countries. For example:

Watch ESPN+ as if you’re in the US
Access F1 TV Pro in a region where it’s not geo-blocked
View BBC iPlayer from abroad

Popular VPNs in 2025:

ExpressVPN
NordVPN
Surfshark

Just ensure you’re compliant with platform terms of use—some providers may block VPNs.

Chromecast and Smart TV Setup for Sports

Streaming apps today support most modern Smart TVs, but if your device lacks native support, here’s what you can do:

Use Chromecast to cast from your phone
Plug in an Amazon Fire Stick or Roku Stick
Use AirPlay with Apple devices and Apple TVs

Apps like DAZN, NOW, Discovery+, and Prime Video are all supported on these platforms.

Streaming Sports on Mobile Devices

Most streaming platforms provide mobile apps for both iOS and Android. Features include:

Full match replays
Download options (Amazon Prime, Discovery+)
Push notifications for match reminders
Personalized feeds

Ensure you’re on Wi-Fi or have an unlimited data plan, especially for HD streaming.

The Cost of Streaming vs Traditional TV

Let’s compare typical monthly costs:

Platform	Monthly Cost
NOW TV Sports	£34.99
Discovery+ (TNT + Eurosport)	£29.99
Amazon Prime Video	£8.99
DAZN	£9.99
BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All4	Free

Total: ~£84/month if you subscribe to everything, but most users only need 2–3 services, dramatically reducing costs versus cable TV packages (£120+ monthly on average).