The 2026/27 football season is here, and with it comes another year of live Premier League action, dramatic cup ties and European nights. But with television rights spread across several broadcasters, knowing which subscription you need can be confusing.

The days when a single TV package covered almost everything are long gone. Today, fans may need Sky Sports, TNT Sports and free-to-air channels such as the BBC and ITV to follow every major competition.

In this guide, we’ll explain who shows what, which competitions are available free-to-air, and which subscriptions you’ll need to make sure you don’t miss a match.

UK Football TV Coverage at a Glance

Premier League

The Premier League remains the biggest attraction on UK television, and this season Sky Sports has become an even bigger player.

Under the current broadcast agreement, Sky Sports now shows at least 215 live Premier League matches each season, almost doubling its previous total. One of the biggest changes is that every Premier League match scheduled on a Sunday is now shown live on Sky Sports, including the traditional Super Sunday fixtures and Sunday afternoon kick-offs. Sky also broadcasts more Friday night, Monday night and midweek fixtures than ever before.

TNT Sports continues to show around 52 exclusive Premier League matches each season, mainly Saturday lunchtime fixtures and selected midweek games.

If you don’t subscribe to either service, the BBC continues to show comprehensive highlights every weekend on Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2.

Championship, League One and League Two

Supporters of EFL clubs have arguably benefited the most from the latest television deal.

Sky Sports now offers extensive coverage of the Championship, League One and League Two, with hundreds of matches available through Sky Sports and Sky Sports+.

Every Championship club is shown regularly throughout the season, while League One and League Two supporters now have far more opportunities to watch their teams live than ever before.

ITV complements this coverage by broadcasting selected live Championship matches, play-off fixtures and weekly highlights programmes.

FA Cup

The FA Cup once again combines subscription and free-to-air coverage.

TNT Sports broadcasts the majority of live matches from the competition, while the BBC continues to show selected ties, including many of the biggest fixtures, alongside highlights throughout the tournament.

This means casual viewers can still enjoy the magic of the FA Cup without paying, while dedicated fans can watch far more matches with a TNT Sports subscription.

Carabao Cup

If you follow the League Cup, Sky Sports remains the place to watch.

Every match is available live on Sky Sports or Sky Sports+, from the opening rounds through to the Final.

ITV also broadcasts selected matches, including the Final, together with highlights.

UEFA Club Competitions

For the 2026/27 season, TNT Sports remains the exclusive live UK broadcaster of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, although Amazon Prime Video continues to show a selection of first-pick Tuesday night Champions League matches under the current agreement.

This will be the final season under the current rights deal before a new broadcasting arrangement begins from the 2027/28 season.

The BBC continues to provide Champions League highlights, but live European football remains behind a subscription paywall.

England International Matches

England supporters still enjoy plenty of free football.

ITV broadcasts most England qualifiers and friendly matches, while the BBC shares coverage of major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship.

That means you don’t normally need a subscription to follow the national team.

Do You Need Both Sky Sports and TNT Sports?

If you want to watch virtually every televised Premier League match, along with European football, then the answer is yes.

Sky Sports has become the dominant broadcaster for domestic football, particularly following its expanded Premier League and EFL rights.

TNT Sports remains essential for UEFA competitions, a selection of Premier League fixtures and much of the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, the BBC and ITV continue to provide excellent free-to-air coverage through highlights, selected live cup matches and England internationals.

Flexible Streaming Options

If you don’t want a long-term television contract, there are flexible alternatives.

A NOW Sports Membership provides access to Sky Sports without a lengthy commitment, while Discovery+ Premium includes TNT Sports channels.

These options are ideal for fans who only want to subscribe during the football season.

Final Thoughts

Following football on UK television has never offered more live matches—but it has also never required so many different broadcasters.

For the most complete experience, you’ll want access to:

• Sky Sports – Premier League, EFL and Carabao Cup.
• TNT Sports – Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA competitions.
• BBC – Match of the Day, FA Cup and England tournament coverage.
• ITV – England internationals, selected EFL matches and Carabao Cup coverage.

While no single subscription covers everything, combining Sky Sports and TNT Sports with the free-to-air coverage from the BBC and ITV ensures you can follow almost every major domestic and European competition throughout the 2026/27 season.