How to watch the Champions League live

The Champions League is back. Just over three months after Real Madrid beat Liverpool to top Europe for a record 14th time, we are back at the group stages of the 2022-23 season.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team will be dreaming of their chance to win the trophy again, but they are not one of the favorites for this season’s tournament. Bayern, PSG, Manchester City and Liverpool have a better chance of winning the final next May.

But we shouldn’t rule out Tottenham or Antonio Conte’s Chelsea, who won the Champions League under current manager Thomas Tuchel just two seasons ago. Celtic and Rangers also made it to the group stage, but both face the challenge of making it to the round of 16.

Here’s everything you need to know about watching the Champions League this week, including if you’re not currently in the UK.

Champions League match

Matchday 1 of the Champions League has some great matches ahead of you, and every game will be streamed on BT Sport in the UK:

Tue 6 Sep

• Dinamo Zagreb – Chelsea – KO 17:45 – BT Sport 4
• Sevilla – Manchester City – KO at 20:00 – BT Sport 2
• Celtic – Real Madrid – KO at 20:00 – BT Sport 3/Ultimate
• Borussia Dortmund vs FC Copenhagen – KO 17:45 – BT Sport 1
• Benfica – Maccabi Haifa – KO 20:00 – BT Sport 8
• PSG vs Juventus – KO 20:00 – BT Sport 4/5
• RB Leipzig – Shakhtar (Donetsk) – KO at 20:00 – BT Sport 7
• RB Salzburg – AC Milan – KO at 20:00 – BT Sport 6

Wed 7 Sep

• Ajax – Rangers – KO, 17:45 – BT Sport 4
• Napoli vs Liverpool – KO 20:00 – BT Sport 2
• Tottenham – Marseille – KO at 20:00 – BT Sport 3/Ultimate
• Eintracht Frankfurt vs Sporting Lisbon – KO 17:45 – BT Sport 1
• Atlético Madrid vs Porto – KO 20:00 – BT Sport 7
• Barcelona vs Viktoria Pilsen – KO 20:00 – BT Sport 6
• Club Brugge – Bayer Leverkusen – KO, 20:00 – BT Sport 8
• Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich – KO 20:00 – BT Sport 4/5

You can see the full list of all matches and results on the UEFA website.

How to watch the Champions League in the UK

BT Sport has exclusive rights to the UK Champions League, so you’ll need an active subscription to start watching live. If you don’t want to pay, your only option is to wait for the highlights to be available on the BT Sport YouTube channel. However, you will be able to watch the finale for free.

There are several options for registering with BT Sport, firstly by merging with BT Broadband. Enter your zip code on the site to see what offers are available

On the TV side, prices start at £16 per month for a 24-month contract plus £39.99 upfront. In return, you get all BT Sport and BoxNation channels plus Freeview, AMC, and a 300-hour set-top box.

you also can just use the BT Sport app (£16) – it works on mobile devices, tablets, smart TVs and console – or buy a monthly pass for £25. If your device supports this feature, you will still be able to watch videos up to 4K HDR.

Sky customers can add BT Sport to their existing contract from £29.99 with a £20 down payment. BT used to offer a combo package with Sky Sports through Now, but this is now only available in Ireland.

How to watch the Champions League outside the UK

BT Sport is geo-restricted, meaning you can only officially watch its coverage if you are in the UK.

A workaround is available if you are located outside of this region, but we recommend that you first find a local broadcaster, especially if you live there permanently. These are CBS Sports (through Paramount+) in the US, Stan Sport in Australia or Sony Pictures Networks in the Indian subcontinent.

However, if you already have an active UK subscription, we recommend accessing the BT Sport stream using a VPN. This will allow you to still look like you’re in the UK and still have access to channels, and it’s completely legal.

NordVPN is one of our top recommendations, but you can check out our the best VPN chart that shows you some of the best services for accessing UK content from abroad.

If you only plan on using a VPN for football, you might also want to consider a free VPN. Almost everyone will have a server in the UK, but there may be strict data transfer restrictions.

Want more football? Here’s how to watch the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.