ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Live Coverage on Sky Sports, Highlights on Channel 5

Cricket fans in the UK will be able to watch every match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 live on Sky Sports, while Channel 5 will provide free-to-air daily highlights coverage throughout the tournament.

The tournament takes place in India from 5th October to 19th November 2023 and features ten international teams competing across 48 matches. England enter the competition as defending champions following their dramatic victory in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

The new broadcasting arrangements ensure that both subscription viewers and free-to-air audiences will be able to follow the tournament across television and streaming platforms.

Sky Sports Has Exclusive Live Rights

Sky Sports holds the exclusive live broadcasting rights for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in the UK and Ireland.

Coverage will be shown across:

• Sky Sports Cricket
• Sky Sports Main Event
• Sky Sports Mix
• Sky Showcase
• Sky Go
• The Sky Sports app

Sky’s coverage will include:

• Every live match
• Full match analysis
• Expert commentary
• Pre-match build-up
• Post-match discussion
• Highlights packages

The broadcaster has heavily promoted the event following strong viewing figures for:

• The Men’s Ashes
• Women’s Ashes
• The Hundred
• International cricket coverage during 2023

Sky Sports says the tournament represents another major opportunity to grow cricket audiences in the UK.

Channel 5 to Show Free-to-Air Highlights

In a major boost for free-to-air viewers, Channel 5 has secured rights to show daily highlights programmes from the tournament.

The agreement between Channel 5 and Sky Sports means viewers without a Sky subscription will still be able to watch:

• Daily match highlights
• Tournament round-ups
• England match coverage
• Semi-final highlights
• Final highlights

Channel 5 plans to broadcast:

• 48 daily highlights programmes
• One-hour highlight shows
• Primetime evening coverage
• Additional on-demand streaming via My5

Many England matches are expected to receive a 7pm highlights slot, helping attract wider family audiences.

The return of cricket highlights to Channel 5 has also generated nostalgia among long-time cricket fans, many of whom remember Channel 5’s earlier cricket coverage during the 2000s.

The Tournament Takes Place in India

The 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is hosted entirely in India.

The tournament features:

• England
• India
• Australia
• Pakistan
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh
• Afghanistan
• Netherlands

A total of 48 matches will be played across multiple Indian venues, with the final scheduled for Ahmedabad on 19th November 2023.

England enter the competition hoping to defend the title they won in dramatic fashion against New Zealand in 2019.

India are widely considered tournament favourites due to home advantage and strong recent form.

Streaming and Online Coverage

Sky Sports subscribers will also be able to stream matches online through:

• Sky Go
• Sky Sports mobile apps
• NOW TV sports packages

Meanwhile, Channel 5 highlights will also be available through:

• My5
• Catch-up services
• Streaming apps

This reflects the growing importance of internet streaming alongside traditional television broadcasting.

Many viewers increasingly watch live sport through:

• Smart TVs
• Tablets
• Mobile devices
• Streaming sticks
• Internet TV platforms

rather than solely through satellite or cable television.

Watching the Cricket World Cup in Spain

British cricket fans living in Spain can still access coverage through:

• Sky subscriptions
• Streaming platforms
• VPN services
• Sports bars
• Satellite television systems

However, streaming services such as Sky Go and My5 are normally geo-blocked outside the UK.

To access UK streaming platforms in Spain, viewers often require:

• A VPN service
• A Smart DNS service

These services allow UK streaming apps to function by routing internet traffic through UK-based servers.

Reliable internet is particularly important for live sports streaming, especially HD coverage.

In rural Spain, many viewers increasingly use:

• Fibre broadband
• 4G/5G internet
• Starlink satellite internet

to improve streaming quality and reliability.

Cricket Coverage Continues to Evolve

The Cricket World Cup broadcasting arrangements highlight how sports television continues evolving.

Broadcasters are increasingly combining:

• Traditional satellite TV
• Streaming apps
• Mobile viewing
• Catch-up platforms
• Subscription services
• Free-to-air highlights

This hybrid approach allows broadcasters to maximise audience reach while still protecting premium sports rights.

Sky Sports continues to position cricket as one of its key premium sports properties, while Channel 5’s highlights deal helps ensure wider public access to major international events.

Final Thoughts

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 promises to be one of the biggest sporting events of the year for cricket fans.

With Sky Sports providing full live coverage and Channel 5 offering free-to-air daily highlights, viewers in the UK will have extensive access to the tournament across both traditional television and streaming platforms.

For fans in Spain, access remains possible through satellite TV and streaming services, although VPN or Smart DNS services may still be required for UK streaming platforms.