For anyone who has ever sat on their couch with a drink in hand, only to find the Champions League match is on a channel they don’t carry, the broadcasting puzzle keeps getting more complex. TNT Sports currently holds the UK rights until 2027, while RTÉ offers free-to-air coverage in Ireland – but major changes are coming.

4 related posts

Current UK broadcaster: TNT Sports (until 2027) · Future UK broadcaster (from 2027): Paramount+ · Irish broadcaster: RTÉ (current and renewed through 2031) · Free streaming in Ireland: RTÉ Player · Amazon Prime matches: One Tuesday match per matchweek

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether Paramount+ will be available through other platforms (Sky, Virgin) in the UK
  • Exact match schedule for Amazon Prime in future seasons
  • Launch date of Paramount+ in the UK
3Timeline signal
  • Current rights cycle ends in May 2027 (The Irish Times)
  • Paramount+ becomes exclusive UK broadcaster from the 2027/28 season (same source as above) (The Irish Times)
  • RTÉ continues Irish coverage through 2031 (RTÉ official)
4What’s next

Five key facts about current and future Champions League broadcasters across the UK and Ireland.

Current UK rights holder TNT Sports
Cost of TNT Sports via NOW £30.99/month
RTÉ Player cost Free with Irish TV license
Amazon Prime matches One per matchweek (Tuesday)
Future UK rights holder Paramount+ from 2027

What TV channel is the Champions League on?

Current UK TV channels

  • TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) holds the exclusive UK rights for all 138 matches per season through the 2026/27 campaign (Wikipedia – UEFA broadcasters list).
  • Amazon Prime Video shows one first-pick Tuesday match per matchweek as a sub-license from TNT Sports (The Irish Times).
  • Subscriptions via Sky, BT, and NOW TV all include TNT Sports channels.

Irish TV channels

  • RTÉ broadcasts first-choice Wednesday night matches free-to-air on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player (RTÉ official).
  • Premier Sports holds first-choice Tuesday night live rights in Ireland until 2031 (The Irish Times).
  • Virgin Media Television currently shows free-to-air matches but will lose rights after May 2027 (The Journal).
  • Sky Sports will return to Champions League coverage in Ireland from 2027 with co-exclusive rights to remaining fixtures (Sport for Business).

US TV channels

  • CBS Sports and Paramount+ are the official English-language broadcasters in the United States (Wikipedia).
  • Some matches are available on Univision in Spanish. Over-the-air coverage is limited; most games require a subscription.

Other major regions

  • Canada: DAZN holds exclusive rights (Wikipedia).
  • Australia: Stan Sport streams every match live (Wikipedia).
Bottom line: TNT Sports remains the UK home for all Champions League action until 2027. Irish viewers have the unique advantage of free-to-air matches on RTÉ, a luxury that will continue through 2031.

The implication: fans in the UK face a clear paywall, while Irish viewers enjoy an outlier of free football.

Where can I watch the Champions League for free?

Free streaming in Ireland: RTÉ Player

  • RTÉ Player streams every match that RTÉ broadcasts at no cost beyond the mandatory TV licence (RTÉ official).
  • Note: RTÉ Player offers highlights only for matches it does not show live; no full match replays from other broadcasters.

Free trials from TNT Sports and NOW

  • NOW TV occasionally offers 7-day free trials for its Sports Extra pass, which includes TNT Sports.
  • TNT Sports direct subscriptions sometimes include a limited promo period.

Free options in the USA: CBS Sports and Paramount+ free trial

  • Paramount+ offers a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, covering all Champions League matches streamed on the platform (Wikipedia).
  • CBS Sports airs select matches on broadcast television (check local listings).

UEFA YouTube channel highlights

  • The official UEFA YouTube channel posts free extended highlights of every match, usually within hours of full-time. Live matches are not available.
The catch

Ireland is the only English-speaking market where fans can watch live Champions League football free-to-air without a pay-TV subscription. UK viewers must pay for TNT Sports or rely on limited free trials.

What this means: for cost-conscious fans, location is the single biggest factor in access.

Where can I watch the Champions League online in Ireland?

RTÉ Player live streaming

  • RTÉ Player streams all matches broadcast by RTÉ2 live and on-demand (highlights) (RTÉ official).
  • Available on web, iOS, Android, and smart TV apps. Requires a verified Irish TV licence.

Premier Sports online

  • Premier Sports is available as an add-on via Sky and Virgin Media in Ireland, and also as a standalone streaming service (Irish Examiner).
  • Its app streams Tuesday night first-pick matches live.

NOW TV with sports membership

  • NOW TV offers TNT Sports via its Sports Extra membership, which can be purchased monthly or as a day pass. This is the easiest way to access TNT Sports in Ireland without a long contract.

Amazon Prime Video (select matches)

  • Amazon Prime Video streams one Tuesday match per matchweek in Ireland as part of a co-exclusive package (The Irish Times).
Why this matters

From 2027, Irish viewers will have three ways to watch live: RTÉ (free), Premier Sports (pay), Sky Sports (pay), and Amazon Prime (included with Prime membership). No other European market offers this mix of free and paid options.

The pattern: Ireland gives viewers the widest choice, blending public service broadcasting with commercial sports channels.

Are TNT Sports losing the Champions League?

Current TNT Sports deal

  • TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) signed a three-season extension in 2024 covering the 2024/25, 2025/26, and 2026/27 seasons (Wikipedia – UEFA broadcasters list).

Paramount+ wins UK rights from 2027

  • In 2025, Paramount+ acquired exclusive UK rights for the Champions League starting with the 2027/28 season (Wikipedia).
  • The deal reportedly covers all matches previously held by TNT Sports.

What this means for subscribers

  • Current TNT Sports subscribers can continue watching through the end of the 2026/27 season. After that, they will need to switch to Paramount+ to access Champions League matches.

Future of Champions League on TNT

  • TNT Sports may retain rights to other UEFA competitions (Europa League, Conference League) but not the Champions League from 2027.
Bottom line: TNT Sports’ Champions League coverage ends after the 2026/27 season. UK fans who want to keep watching must prepare to subscribe to Paramount+ from 2027. Current subscribers should not cancel yet – two full seasons remain.

The consequence: UK football fans must plan a switch to a new streaming service, while acknowledging two more seasons of TNT coverage.

Where can I watch the Champions League draw?

Official UEFA stream

  • UEFA.com streams the draw live for free globally, with no subscription required (Wikipedia).
  • The draw is typically held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

Broadcaster coverage

  • TNT Sports in the UK and RTÉ in Ireland both carry the draw live on their channels and streaming platforms.

Online live blogs and updates

  • Major sports news sites like BBC Sport and The Guardian run live blogs with instant analysis.
The trade-off

The draw is free everywhere. The challenge comes when you need to watch the actual matches – that is where regional broadcast rights create a fragmented, and expensive, landscape.

The pattern: free content ends at the draw; the real cost lies in match access.

Three broadcasters, one big shift: the 2027 rights auction reshapes Champions League access in the UK and Ireland.

Market Current broadcaster Future broadcaster (from 2027/28) Free-to-air option
United Kingdom TNT Sports (until 2027) Paramount+ None (free trials only)
Ireland Virgin Media (until 2027) RTÉ (Wednesday), Premier Sports (Tuesday), Sky Sports (remaining) RTÉ Player (free with TV licence)
United States CBS Sports / Paramount+ CBS Sports / Paramount+ (unchanged) Limited broadcast games on CBS; free trial on Paramount+
The pattern

Ireland stands out as the only English-speaking nation where Champions League football remains free-to-air. UK fans face a paywall that moves from TNT Sports to Paramount+, while US viewers have always paid for premium coverage.

Timeline of key rights changes

  • 2024–2025 season: TNT Sports broadcasts Champions League in UK; Virgin Media in Ireland (The Journal).
  • 2025–2026 season: Amazon Prime shows select Tuesday matches in UK and Ireland (The Irish Times).
  • 2026–2027 season: Final season of TNT Sports UK rights; Virgin Media loses Irish rights after May 2027 (Sport for Business).
  • 2027–2028 season: Paramount+ begins exclusive UK broadcast; RTÉ starts new 4-year Irish deal (RTÉ official).
  • 2027–2031: RTÉ, Premier Sports, Sky Sports, and Amazon Prime collectively cover Champions League in Ireland (Irish Examiner).
The upshot

The next two seasons are a transitional period. Fans in the UK should watch TNT Sports while they can; Irish fans should prepare for a more fragmented (but still free-to-air) lineup from 2027.

The implication: the 2027 pivot will demand that fans re-evaluate their subscriptions and streaming habits.

What’s confirmed vs what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • RTÉ has secured first-choice free-to-air Wednesday rights from 2027 to 2031 (RTÉ official)
  • Premier Sports retains first-choice Tuesday rights in Ireland until 2031 (The Irish Times)
  • Paramount+ will broadcast exclusively in the UK from the 2027/28 season (Wikipedia)
  • Virgin Media Television loses free-to-air rights after May 2027 (The Journal)
  • Sky Sports returns to Champions League in Ireland from 2027 with co-exclusive rights (Sport for Business)

What’s unclear

  • Whether Paramount+ will be bundled with Sky or Virgin in the UK
  • Exact match schedule for Amazon Prime beyond the current season
  • Launch date of Paramount+ in the UK (expected before 2027)
  • Pricing for Paramount+ UK sports tier
  • Whether RTÉ Player will offer full match replays for all Irish-broadcast games

“We see Tuesday night Champions League as an appointment to view for Irish football fans, and we are delighted to continue bringing them the biggest games.”

Ryle Nugent, CEO of Premier Sports Ireland (Irish Examiner)

“We are proud to have secured the rights to continue broadcasting the greatest club competition in world football, free-to-air, for a further four seasons.”

Declan McBennett, RTÉ Group Head of Sport (RTÉ official)

Ireland’s retention of free-to-air Champions League coverage defies a global trend toward paywalled streaming. For Irish fans, the choice is simple: watch live on RTÉ Player at no cost, or subscribe to Premier Sports or Sky for additional matches. UK fans face a different reality: after 2027, the only way to watch every match will be a Paramount+ subscription. For US viewers, free options are limited to a handful of broadcast games on CBS and temporary free trials. The biggest consequence of the 2027 rights shift is that geographical location now determines not only which broadcaster you need, but whether you pay anything at all.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Champions League on Amazon Prime every week?

Amazon Prime Video shows one first-pick Tuesday match per matchweek in the UK and Ireland, but not every match. The selection varies each week (The Irish Times).

Can I watch Champions League on YouTube live?

No. Live Champions League matches are not available on YouTube. UEFA only posts highlights on its official channel after full-time.

Do I need a subscription to watch Champions League on RTÉ Player?

No. RTÉ Player is free to use, but you must have a valid Irish TV licence. No additional payment is required (RTÉ official).

What time do Champions League matches start?

Kickoff times are typically 20:00 CET (19:00 UK/Ireland) on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday matchdays. Some early matches start at 18:45 CET.

Are Champions League matches available on-demand?

Yes. Most broadcasters offer full match replays on their streaming platforms – TNT Sports (NOW TV), Paramount+, RTÉ Player, and Amazon Prime all provide on-demand access for a limited time.

How can I watch Champions League in Canada?

DAZN holds exclusive streaming rights in Canada for all UEFA Champions League matches (Wikipedia).

Does Paramount+ show all Champions League matches?

In the US, Paramount+ streams every Champions League match live and on-demand. In the UK, it will hold exclusive rights from the 2027/28 season. In Ireland, it has co-exclusive rights to Wednesday first-pick matches (Wikipedia).