UPDATE: Sep. 15, 2023, 12:04 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect the 2023-2024 season changes, as well as the latest pricing and streaming details.
The world's biggest club soccer tournament is about to be underway. To make sure you catch every match of the Champions League, we've rounded up all of the best ways you can watch the action online without cable. The good news is that it's pretty easy to stream every game live in the 2023-2024 season. The bad news is that it'll cost you.
While there are ways you can stream matches for free, it may take a bit of planning to strategically subscribe to a free trial at the right time. Can it be done? Yes, but it won't be as cut and dry as simply subscribing to a streamer for a month. There are also ways you can stream the Champions League finals from other countries if you're planning on traveling in the next few months or want to tune into a local broadcast instead. Don't worry — we've got you covered with our top VPN picks for streaming as well.
What is the difference between Premier League and Champions League?
The Premier League (EPL) is England's domestic league and features English teams playing against one another. The Champions League is a European league and features the 32 best teams in Europe playing against each other, including the top finishers in the Premier League.
When can I watch Champions League matches in the U.S.?
The draw for the 2023-2024 Champions League group stage took place on Aug. 31, which means the group stage action officially kicks off this month on Sept. 19. Mark your calendars for the following matchdays for the group stage: Sept. 19 and 20, Oct. 3 and 4, Oct. 24 and 25, Nov. 7 and 8, Nov. 28 and 29, and Dec. 12 and 13. There's a standard break between December and February, when the Round of 16 begins. See the official schedule breakdown below.
Round of 16 — February 13/14, 20/21 and March 5/6 and 12/13
Quarterfinals — 1st leg: April 9 and 10, 2024
Quarterfinals — 2nd leg: April 16 and 17, 2024
Semifinals — 1st leg: April 30 and May 1, 2024
Semifinals — 2nd leg: May 7 and 8, 2024
Final — June 1, 2024
Can I watch the UEFA Champions League for free?
There are two ways to watch the UEFA Champions League matches for free this season: a free trial through a streaming app or a foreign broadcast with a VPN.
Paramount+ offers a free seven-day trial or free 30-day trial alongside Walmart+, YouTube TV offers a free 10-day trial, and FuboTV offers a free seven-day trial, to name a few. If you're strategic with your subscriptions and cancel at the perfect times, you can certainly figure out a way to stream every game in the finals for free — but we'll leave all of that planning to you.
You can also choose to tune into Champions League games on a foreign broadcaster like ServusTV (Austria) or RTÉ Player (Ireland) for free by connecting to a VPN first. It's certainly a bit more complicated, but it is possible. Of course, you will have to pay a monthly fee for a quality VPN, so it's technically not free.
Check out all of the streaming options below, including free trial information, our top VPN picks, and more.
Where can I watch Champions League soccer in the US?
Best overall: Paramount+
This season, every Champions League match, including the finals, is streaming on Paramount+ for those in the U.S. This is the best place to watch matches live online, so kudos if you're already a Paramount+ subscriber. If not, you can score a week for free to test the waters, then pay just $5.99/month until the final match on June 1. If you commit to an annual subscription, you'll save even more. Through Sept. 20, annual subscriptions to both Paramount+ Essential and Paramount+ with Showtime are 50% off — just $29.99/year or $59.99/year, respectively.
Pro tip: Walmart+ members can also secure a Paramount+ subscription for free. Test out the waters with a 30-day free trial of both.
Best live TV option: YouTube TV
A live TV subscription can also grant you access to some live Champions League matches (any shown on CBS, CBSSN, Univision). Though these options can be pricey if all you're after is Champions League soccer, they do come in handy for plenty of other live events. Our top pick is YouTube TV, which is currently offering an $18/month discount for your first three months, following a free trial period. Mashable shopping reporter Leah Stodart called it "arguably the best premium live TV streaming service out there," due to its massive library of over 100 live channels, the option to add on more, unlimited DVR space for the games you can't watch live, and up to six individual accounts with personalized viewing recommendations.
Honorable mention live TV options:
Hulu + Live TV — no free trial, $69.99/month
FuboTV — 7-day free trial, then $74.99/month
DirecTV Stream — 5-day free trial, then starting at $64.99/month
$74.99/monthfor three months
Best with a VPN: ServusTV or RTÉ Player
Another option, albeit a more complicated one, is to connect to a VPN and watch on a network like ServusTV. Based in Austria, ServusTV is completely free to those in Austria — as well as those connected to an Austrian VPN. Similarly, RTÉ Player can get you free access to select games if you're based in or connected to a VPN in Ireland. Not every match will be broadcast on these networks, but you can check out the schedules here and here to see which ones you can catch live.
In order to stream either of these networks from the U.S., you'll need a reliable VPN. See our top picks below, as well as more information on how to connect and stream ServusTV or RTÉ Player.
What is the best VPN for streaming Champions League from anywhere in the world?
Whether you're in the U.S. and choose to go the VPN route to stream the Champions League games or you're traveling abroad looking for a way to stay in the loop during the 2023-2024 season, here are our top picks for a VPN. Just be sure to check out the UEFA official list of broadcast partners and streamers to find the appropriate outlet for your server location.
ExpressVPN: Save 49% on a 15-month plan
It's not cheap, but ExpressVPN offers a huge network of over 3,000+ servers around the globe, a user-friendly app, and a strong commitment to data protection. It's our favorite full-featured VPN on the market and it's currently offering a 15-month plan for 49% off.
Read our full review of ExpressVPN.
CyberGhost VPN: Save 84% on a 27-month plan
CyberGhost VPN features 7,000+ dedicated VPN servers in over 90 countries, which should make streaming Champions League games a breeze from anywhere in the world. As Mashable shopping reporter Haley Henschel noted, it also provides servers specifically optimized for streaming, as well as cheap fixed rates.
Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.
Proton VPN: Save 50% on a 2-year Plus plan
If you're worried about security, you may want to stick with Proton VPN. While it's not "the biggest or most well-rounded VPN on this list," noted Mashable's Haley Henschel, "it deserves major props for its commitment to consumer privacy." There are physical servers all over Europe, which should make connected to a European IP address and streaming the Champions League finals fairly straightforward.
Read our full review of ProtonVPN.
NordVPN Standard: Save 75% on a 27-month Standard plan
NordVPN is a top contender for a number of reasons: an unrivaled suite of top-notch security features, a Threat Protection feature, over 5,000 obfuscated servers, and a sweet deal on a 27-month Standard plan. It's not the best choice for newbies, but if you're looking for a powerful full-featured option with a reputation that backs it up, NordVPN is a solid pick.
Read our full review of NordVPN.
How to connect to a VPN to stream Champions League soccer
Regardless of the streaming service and VPN you choose to tune into Champions League matches, you'll follow these three main steps to get connected:
Download and sign up for the VPN of your choosing.
Log into the VPN you selected and choose a server based in the location of the stream you choose (Austria, Ireland, or something else entirely based on the UEFA official list of broadcast partners and streamers)
Head over to the corresponding site or app to stream the 2023-2024 Champions League matches for free.
