Navigating the UK sports streaming landscape: Key players and pricing

The sports streaming landscape in the United Kingdom is characterized by a diverse array of offerings across multiple price tiers, giving fans the option to combine various services to access their preferred events.

Sky, BT Group PLC and Amazon.com Inc. lead the premium soccer broadcasting rights in the UK, covering the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League. Despite having fewer funds in their disposal in comparison to their streaming counterparts, free-to-air networks like the British Broadcasting Corp., ITV PLC and Channel Four Television Corp. have secured coverage for selected events such as La Liga, Formula 1 and Six Nations Rugby.

While the availability of live sports on streaming platforms has grown over the past decade, local regulator Ofcom works to ensure the public gets access to mainstream events that promote national identity. The Broadcasting Act of 1996 and its amendments restrict exclusive live coverage of listed events such as the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup and the Wimbledon Tennis finals without Ofcom's approval. The listed events are split into two categories, Group A and Group B, with different rules set for each.

The Media Act of 2024 defines "qualifying services" exclusively for public service broadcasters (PSBs) and their online platforms that reach at least 95% of the population. It categorizes streamers such as Amazon.com Inc. and DAZN Group ltd. as "non-qualifying." This means streaming platforms must obtain Ofcom's permission to broadcast Group A events and meet specific criteria for Group B events, limiting their ability to show live sports without adequate coverage on PSBs. These changes are set to take effect in 2026.

Main offerings

TNT Sports, a 50/50 joint venture between BT Group PLC and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., has replaced BT Sport and is now bundled with Discovery+. It offers live coverage of the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and the Ultimate Fighting Championship for £30.99 per month. Viewers can also access TNT Sports through Comcast Corp.'s Sky Stream, the operator's virtual multichannel offering, for an extra £28 per month on top of the Sky Essential TV (£18 a month) on a rolling contract. At the same time, Sky Sports channels are available both on NOW for £32 and on Sky (Q, Glass, or Stream) for £25 a month.

DAZN in the UK has yet to reach similar levels of success it has had in Germany and Italy. The group has recently secured exclusive streaming rights for eight matches each round of Serie A, with TNT Sports broadcasting two of those matches, including one on Sundays. Subscribers will also get access to IPL T20 cricket and a variety of combat sports such as BKFC. DAZN is available for £24.99 a month, an increase of £10 compared to last year.

Premier Media Broadcasting Ltd.'s Premier Sports is available for £15.99 a month on a monthly rolling basis, £11.99 on a fixed annual term or for £20 upfront annual subscription. It is also available as an add-on to Sky, VMED O2 UK Ltd.'s Virgin TV and Amazon customers. It carries the Spanish La Liga soccer championship and the Scottish Premier Football League. The entity had been part of Viaplay Group AB (publ) between 2022 and 2024 but was later sold back to its original owner after the Stockholm-based TV group decided to exit the UK market.

For 2025, Amazon will continue showing Tuesday UEFA Champions League matches in a deal that expires in 2027. In addition, Amazon has signed an exclusive 11-year deal with the NBA to stream 87 regular season games a year, select games of the first playoffs round and every match of the postseason SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament. Prime Video is available as a stand-alone offering for a monthly fee of £5.99.

Some of the smaller and more niche services that are also available in the UK include the UFC Fight Pass (£6.99/month), FloSports (from £12.5/month), WWE Network (£9.99/month) and LFP's Ligue 1 Pass (£9.99/month).

Monthly expenses for select sports fan profiles

S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan has examined a number of streaming plan combinations that suit the viewing needs of different types of sports fans, with an emphasis on affordability. Our European Consumer Insights Survey published in 2023 revealed that soccer, tennis and rugby were the top three most popular sports in the UK, with 82% of internet households having watched at least one live sports event in the year.

Those interested in European soccer could opt for the six-month NOW offer that comes at £32 a month and gain access to live events from the English Premier League (EPL) and Bundesliga. The above in combination with free-to-air British Broadcasting Corp.'s BBC iPlayer will also appeal to hardcore tennis fans, giving them access to Wimbledon, ATP and US Open tournaments. Gaining access to all matches from the EPL would require an additional subscription to TNT Sports via Discovery+ for £30.99 a month, bringing the total monthly cost to £63. Through Discovery+, subscribers will also get access to the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup.

Gaining access to most rugby events can cost fans up to £74 a month for a combination of TNT Sports (Discovery+), NOW Sports (six-month deal) and SuperLeague+ (annual membership). The combination can be further enhanced by signing up for free access to ITV PLC's ITVX and BBC's iPlayer to watch Six Nations Rugby Union games.

Fans of Formula 1 will gain access to live events by opting for the six-month NOW plan while those interested in Rallycross or WRC will benefit from savings compared to the monthly rolling option by committing to DAZN's annual plan that amounts to £10 a month.

Combat sports fans, including those interested in mixed martial arts, grappling and boxing, have numerous options tailored to their viewing preferences and budgets. TNT Sports serves as the exclusive PPV distributor for the UFC, while UFC Fight Pass (£6.99/month) provides on-demand access to past events from the UFC, Pride and other organizations. DAZN partners with Matchroom Boxing, Queensbury Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions to cater to boxing enthusiasts with prices starting from £10 a month. Additionally, fans of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can access a variety of events through FloSports Inc., available for £12.50 per month with an annual plan.

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This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.