La Liga is back for the 2025–26 season, and for UK fans, there’s a new twist to watching Spanish football’s biggest stars. This year’s coverage is split between Disney+ and Premier Sports (Viaplay)—meaning that to see every game, you’ll need two subscriptions. Here’s the lowdown on what’s changed, why it’s happening, and how much it’s going to cost you.

Disney+ Joins the Football Game

For the first time ever, Disney+ is stepping into live football coverage in the UK and Ireland. The streaming giant has secured the rights to one exclusive Saturday night La Liga match every week, kicking off at 8:30 PM BST.

The deal begins on Saturday, 16 August 2025, with Valencia vs Real Sociedad as the inaugural match. At just £4.99/month for the standard Disney+ subscription, there’s no need for a sports add-on—if you already have Disney+ for Marvel, Star Wars, or Pixar films, you’ll get the football as part of your package.

Disney’s coverage will feature familiar voices from ESPN’s La Liga broadcasts, including Steve McManaman, Stewart Robson, Ian Darke, and Rob Palmer. The move gives the platform a weekly showcase slot, aimed at both football fans and casual Saturday-night viewers.

Premier Sports Still Has the Bulk of the Action

While Disney+ is grabbing the headlines with its prime-time slot, Premier Sports (Viaplay) remains the main home of La Liga in the UK. The broadcaster still holds rights to over 340 matches per season, including midweek games, Sunday fixtures, El Clásico, and the Spanish second division, La Liga Hypermotion.

Premier Sports is available through multiple platforms—Sky, Virgin Media, Amazon Prime Video Channels, or directly via the Premier Sports Player app. The subscription costs:

• £11.99/month for sports-only access

• £14.99/month for the full Viaplay package (sports + entertainment)

For dedicated fans who want to follow their team every week—or catch every Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético game—Premier Sports is still essential.

Why the Split?

La Liga’s UK broadcast strategy this season is all about reaching different audiences. Disney+ gets the high-profile Saturday night slot to draw in casual fans, families, and younger viewers already on the platform. Premier Sports keeps the core football audience engaged with comprehensive coverage.

It’s a similar approach to what we’ve seen with other sports rights in recent years, where marquee events are shared with mainstream streaming services while specialist broadcasters handle the rest.

The Bottom Line for Fans

If you’re happy just catching the big Saturday night game each week, Disney+ alone might be enough—especially if you’re already subscribed. But if you want full coverage of the season, you’ll need to pair Disney+ with Premier Sports.

In total, that’s around £16.98 per month for both subscriptions—a fair price for fans who want every match, but a slight frustration for those who hoped La Liga would be available through a single service.

Its no wonder people are turning to pirate and illegal IPTV streaming services, which are much cheaper, to watch their sport.

And remember when Skys Premier League monopoly was forced to end, by the rights process not allowing all packages to be held by one broadcaster, using the phrase “more broadcasters mean more choice for the consumer and more competition.” How is charging fans for two or more subscriptions for football better for them?

One thing’s for sure: whether it’s streamed on Disney+ or broadcast via Premier Sports, Spanish football is going to look just as beautiful this season.