How to Watch the Champions League 2026/27

Last verified: August 2, 2026
Competition: 2026/27 UEFA Champions League
League phase draw: Thursday, August 27, 2026
League phase Matchday 1: September 8–10, 2026
US rights: Paramount+ and CBS; Spanish-language rights through TelevisaUnivision platforms
UK rights: TNT Sports/discovery+, Prime Video's top-pick Tuesday match, and BBC highlights

The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase starts across Tuesday, September 8 through Thursday, September 10. US viewers can stream every match on Paramount+. In the United Kingdom, the live schedule is divided between TNT Sports/discovery+ and Prime Video, while the BBC provides free-to-air highlights.

This is a season-level viewing and rights guide. The league-phase draw is not until August 27, so UEFA has not yet published the Matchday 1 pairings, exact kickoff times or match-by-match broadcaster assignments. Start2Watch will add the complete schedule only after UEFA releases it rather than publishing speculative fixtures. For the official date, free UEFA viewing route, draw rules, pots, and live-result checks, read our Champions League draw 2026 guide.

For the confirmed seven-tie draw, unresolved qualifying pairings, and the August 18/19 and August 25/26 play-off windows, see our Champions League play-offs 2026 draw and viewing guide. Kick-off times and match-specific broadcasters remain TBC until UEFA publishes the fixture listings.

Champions League 2026/27 key dates

UEFA's official 2026/27 competition guide confirms these dates and the final at Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid. UEFA's competition regulations state that Matchday 1 is the exception played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; later league-phase matchdays are ordinarily played on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dates can still be affected by exceptional UEFA scheduling decisions. Check the final fixture page before travel or subscription purchases.

Viewing options at a glance

Prices and packages can change. Taxes, app-store billing and provider bundles may differ. Always check the final checkout screen and the match tile before subscribing.

How to watch the Champions League in the US

Stream every match on Paramount+

Paramount+'s official Champions League page states that every match streams live and displays a match-replay library. Both standard plans include UEFA Champions League coverage:

• Paramount+ Essential: $8.99 per month
• Paramount+ Premium: $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year

Essential is the lowest regular plan that explicitly includes Champions League matches. Premium adds the local CBS live stream where available, SHOWTIME, downloads for eligible entertainment titles and broader ad reduction. Live television and live sports can still contain advertisements.

Paramount+'s current plan page says accounts can stream on up to three devices at once. Its current device list includes web browsers, iPhone and iPad, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, supported LG, Samsung and Vizio TVs, PlayStation, Xbox, Xfinity and Xumo devices.

Do not buy Premium solely because a particular Matchday 1 game might air on CBS. CBS has not released the 2026/27 league-phase broadcast schedule. Essential already includes the complete Paramount+ Champions League stream.

CBS television coverage

CBS is an official US rights holder for the 2024–27 cycle, which includes the 2026/27 season. It may place selected matches on the CBS broadcast network or other CBS Sports outlets, but not every match is promised on free over-the-air television.

The exact September assignments are unannounced. Once CBS publishes them, viewers in markets with a receivable local CBS station may be able to watch selected games with an antenna. Reception depends on the station, address, terrain, building and antenna.

Spanish-language coverage

UEFA's official 2024–27 rights register identifies Univision Communications as a US rights holder. Recent Champions League coverage has used Univision, UniMás, TUDN and ViX, but the exact 2026/27 Matchday 1 channel map and current ViX subscription requirements were not announced at verification time.

Check the official TelevisaUnivision schedule after the August 27 draw. A match on Univision or UniMás may be available over the air in some markets; TUDN and ViX access depends on the viewer's television or streaming package.

How to watch the Champions League in the UK

TNT Sports and discovery+

TNT Sports carries the live Champions League matches not selected as Prime Video's top-pick Tuesday fixture. UK viewers can stream TNT Sports through discovery+ or use a television provider that includes the relevant TNT Sports channels.

TNT Sports announced two current direct discovery+ options on July 28:

• discovery+ TNT Sports: £30.99 per month
• discovery+ TNT Sports & Entertainment: £33.99 per month

The lower sports-only tier includes TNT Sports live action, including the Champions League. The higher tier adds discovery+ entertainment. The official TNT Sports plan announcement is the price source used here.

The discovery+ app supports phones, tablets, current web browsers, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Roku, selected LG and Samsung TVs, Xbox and other listed devices. Exact model and operating-system requirements apply. Because UK replay windows for 2026/27 were not yet published, check the event tile instead of assuming that a complete match remains available indefinitely.

Prime Video's Tuesday match

Prime Video has the exclusive UK top-pick Tuesday match. Amazon says the match is included for members at no additional event charge.

Current UK prices are:

• Prime Video only: £7.99 per month
• Amazon Prime with Prime Video: £8.99 per month or £95 per year

Amazon's live-football guide confirms the top Tuesday selection and both membership routes. Eligible new Prime customers can receive a 30-day trial, which automatically converts to a paid membership unless cancelled. Eligibility is account-specific, so confirm the offer shown at checkout.

The selected Tuesday game will not be known until the fixtures and broadcaster picks are released. Prime Video does not carry every Champions League game in the UK.

Free BBC and UEFA highlights

The BBC's three-year arrangement covering the 2024/25 through 2026/27 seasons provides match-by-match highlights from 10 p.m. on Wednesday matchweeks through BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport, plus a BBC One highlights programme. This is highlights coverage, not a complete live stream.

The official UEFA Champions League app also provides scores, lineups, live text and audio commentary, live draws and next-day video highlights. UEFA says highlights are available from midnight in the viewer's location.

Is there a free Champions League live stream?

No complete, licensed, season-long free live stream was confirmed for the United States or United Kingdom.

Legitimate free or no-added-subscription options are limited:

• A selected CBS, Univision or UniMás match may be receivable with an antenna in the US after the game-specific schedule is announced.
• Eligible new UK Amazon Prime customers may receive a 30-day trial, which renews automatically unless cancelled.
• BBC provides UK highlights rather than every match live.
• UEFA offers next-day highlights, live scores and audio commentary rather than the complete live television feed.

Start2Watch does not link to copied accounts, social-media mirrors, unauthorized IPTV services or unlicensed restreams. A page promising every Champions League match free is not evidence that it has distribution rights.

When will the Matchday 1 fixtures be announced?

The league-phase draw takes place on Thursday, August 27, 2026. UEFA will assign each of the 36 league-phase clubs eight different opponents: two from each seeding pot, with one home and one away match against teams from each pot.

The complete date, kickoff and broadcaster table is not available yet. After the draw, UEFA still needs to publish the match calendar and broadcasters need to select their linear and featured games.

Start2Watch's update sequence is:

1. Add the 36-team field after the play-offs finish.
2. Record the eight opponents assigned to each club after the August 27 draw.
3. Wait for UEFA's official date and kickoff allocation.
4. Add Paramount+, CBS and TelevisaUnivision assignments for the US.
5. Add the Prime Video Tuesday selection and TNT Sports channel assignments for the UK.
6. Recheck prices, replay windows, devices and free coverage within 48 hours of Matchday 1.

Until those steps are complete, any site listing specific Matchday 1 pairings or channels is publishing ahead of the official evidence.

Champions League format explained

The league phase contains 36 clubs. Each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents—four at home and four away.

• Places 1–8 advance directly to the round of 16.
• Places 9–24 enter the two-leg knockout phase play-offs.
• Places 25–36 are eliminated from UEFA competition.

Twenty-nine clubs qualify directly for the league phase and seven more arrive through qualifying. UEFA's official page should be treated as the source of truth for the current team list because the final seven places are not settled until the August play-offs.

How to watch outside the US and UK

Champions League rights are sold country by country. A US Paramount+ subscription or UK discovery+ membership does not guarantee access while physically located in another market.

Use UEFA's official broadcaster page after it is refreshed for 2026/27:

1. Select the country where you will physically watch.
2. Confirm the named broadcaster or streaming platform.
3. Open that provider's official schedule and find the exact fixture.
4. Check whether access is live, delayed, highlights-only or restricted to a device type.
5. Verify price, renewal, language, replay and simultaneous-stream terms at checkout.

Do not use location-changing tools to bypass sports rights or platform terms. Use the licensed service for the viewing location.

Set up before Matchday 1

1. Wait for the official August 27 draw and UEFA fixture allocation.
2. Confirm the match tile on Paramount+, discovery+ or Prime Video on the device you will actually use.
3. Update the streaming app, browser and device operating system.
4. Sign in and test another live or on-demand video.
5. Stop unnecessary downloads and high-bandwidth streams on the same network.
6. Open coverage 15 to 20 minutes before kickoff.
7. Keep UEFA's official fixture page available for a late schedule change.

Start2Watch's internet-speed guide for HD and 4K streaming helps estimate household bandwidth. If the picture stalls, follow the stream buffering diagnostic. Fire TV viewers can use the Firestick Wi-Fi connected but no internet guide when the device joins the network but cannot load video.

Champions League 2026/27 FAQs

When does the 2026/27 Champions League league phase start?

Matchday 1 runs from Tuesday, September 8 through Thursday, September 10, 2026.

When is the Champions League draw?

The league-phase draw is Thursday, August 27, 2026. Specific Matchday 1 pairings and kickoff times are not available before the draw and UEFA's later fixture allocation.

What channel is the Champions League on in the US?

Every match streams on Paramount+. Selected matches may also use CBS outlets, while TelevisaUnivision platforms hold Spanish-language rights. Exact linear channel assignments are announced match by match.

What channel is the Champions League on in the UK?

Prime Video carries the top-pick Tuesday match. TNT Sports and discovery+ carry the remaining live matches. BBC provides Wednesday-night highlights rather than complete live coverage.

Does Paramount+ Essential include Champions League matches?

Yes. Paramount+ explicitly lists UEFA Champions League coverage on Essential, currently $8.99 per month. Premium is not required to access the complete Paramount+ competition stream.

Are Champions League replays available?

Paramount+ maintains a match-replay library in the US. UK replay availability and retention can vary by service and match, so check the discovery+ or Prime Video event tile rather than assuming a permanent replay window.

Can I watch Champions League games for free with an antenna?

Only selected US matches may appear on CBS, Univision or UniMás. No Matchday 1 over-the-air assignments were confirmed at verification time. An antenna also depends on local station availability and reception.

Are BBC Champions League highlights free?

BBC provides free-to-air UK highlights, subject to normal UK television and iPlayer rules. It does not provide every Champions League match live.

Where is the 2027 Champions League final?

The final is at Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid on Saturday, June 5, 2027. Our Champions League final 2027 viewing guide tracks the final-specific kickoff, broadcaster, free-to-air, device, replay and 4K update gates without repeating the full-season guide.

Verification and update policy

This guide was verified on August 2, 2026 using official UEFA, Paramount+, TNT Sports, Amazon, BBC and TelevisaUnivision information for competition dates, rights, prices, plans, devices, highlights and current replay evidence.

The guide intentionally does not name Matchday 1 fixtures, kickoff times, CBS/Univision assignments or the Prime Video Tuesday selection because those details remain unannounced. Start2Watch will update the page after the August 27 draw, after UEFA publishes the match calendar, and again within 48 hours of Matchday 1.

Start2Watch does not sell subscriptions, share credentials or link to unauthorized streams.