It's possible to watch Sky Sports online whether a customer has a subscription with a pay TV provider, or they're looking for quick access for a particular live event.
Watching Sky Sports online can be done through the Sky Go app if a customer is with Sky, or through the Sky Sports app for Virgin Media users.
BT, TalkTalk and NOW customers can watch their NOW Sports memberships online across a range of smart devices, including tablets and consoles.
Watching Sky Sports online
Sky Sports can be viewed online when customers have a subscription with one of the following pay TV providers:
The main ways of watching Sky Sports online for each of these providers are:
| Online platform | |
|---|---|
| Sky | Sky Go app |
| Virgin Media | Sky Sports app |
| BT | NOW TV app |
| TalkTalk | NOW TV app |
| NOW | NOW TV app |
The Sky Go and Sky Sports apps from Sky and Virgin Media are accessible by smart devices like smartphones and tablets running iOS or Android, whereas the NOW TV app can also be viewed on larger screens through smart TVs and consoles.
New customer offers
People who aren't yet customers of the above providers, or who haven't taken a Sky Sports subscription out yet, may be able to save money by bundling the pack with TV and broadband deals.
Sky sports deals
| Package | Channels | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sky Entertainment + Netflix + Sky Sports | 159 | £39 | Free | 24 months |
 Offer: Save £8/mth on Sky Sports + Save £9/mth on Sky Entertainment & Netflix + Free setup (worth £39.95) (Ends 03/12/2024) | |||||
|
Sky Glass + Sky Sports | 159 | £53 | £20 | 48 months |
| Offer: Save £9/mth on Sky Entertainment & Netflix + Save £8/mth on Sky Sports + | |||||
New Sky TV customers can currently save £17 per month on a Sky TV and Sky Sports package. Setup is also free, with customers receiving the new Stream Puck box as well as getting the Sky Sports pack in full 1080p HD as standard.
It's also possible to get these offers with Sky Glass, with the TV set costing from £14 per month on a 48 month contract.
Sky Sports + broadband bundles
| Package | Channels | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sky Entertainment + Netflix + Sky Sports + Full Fibre 75 | 159 | 75Mb average | £56 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £8/mth on Sky Sports + Save £9/mth on Sky Entertainment & Netflix + Reduced price broadband + Free setup (Ends 03/12/2024) | ||||||
 |
Full Fibre 150 Sports | 79 | 152Mb average | £58 | Free | 18 months |
| Offer: Save £14.99 per month + NOW Boost at no extra cost + Free setup and P&P | ||||||
 |
M125 Fibre Broadband + Flex + Sky Sports | 159 | 132Mb average | £64.99 | £10 | 18 months |
| Offer: Get 10% credit back on every subscription you add to Flex | ||||||
|
Bigger bundle + Sports | 199 | 516Mb average | Free for 3 mths, then £69.99 |
Free | 18 months |
| Offer: Black Friday: 3 months free + 3 months free Disney+ Standard + No setup fee (was £35) (Ends 08/12/2024) | ||||||
 |
Big Sport + Full Fibre 100 | 90 | 150Mb average | £64.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £50 BT Reward Card + Save £240 on EE Big Sport TV + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (was £61.99) (Ends 12/12/2024) | ||||||
Sky offer the cheapest way to watch Sky Sports online in a bundle, with the Sky Sports pack on offer for £20 a month for 24 months, saving £8 per month.
There are also further savings available for those who bundle Sky broadband, with both part and full fibre options available from just £17 per month more.
Virgin Media customers who access Sky Sports online through Flex, will get a 10% bill credit every month on the Sky Sports subscription, saving an extra £3.50 per month.
BT and TalkTalk also have offers for customers taking the Sky Sports pack in a bundle, including £50 reward cards. However, bear in mind, BT TV customers have to pay more for full HD, which comes as standard with Sky, Virgin Media, and TalkTalk TV.
Sky Sports online with Sky
Sky is one of the cheapest places to watch Sky Sports in HD or in Ultra HD, and is one of the most popular ways to get the Sky Sports pack, with the Stream Puck box allowing customers the ability to pause and rewind critical moments in live matches.
Sky customers can watch Sky Sports online from anywhere through the Sky Go app, which is provided for free to all subscribers.
Sky Go allows customers to watch any of the channels in their subscription, including premium packs like Sky Sports, from a range of smart devices, including when they're away from home.
Sky Go supports:
- Up to six compatible smart phones or tablets, including iOS, Android and Amazon Fire
- It's also possible to register Windows and Mac computers and laptops
- Adding more than six devices will result in the least used device being swapped out
Customers can stream content through Sky Go on up to two devices at a time, while those with Multiscreen will get the Sky Go Extra app which supports streaming on up to four devices at once.
While Sky includes the Sky Sports pack in 1080p HD as standard, the Sky Go app only supports streaming in up to 720p HD. The app doesn't support Ultra HD at all, and customers will also need a minimum download speed.
Sky say, for streaming in SD customers will need at least 1.5Mb per second, while HD requires a download speed of at least 5Mb per second.
That may seem low, but customers wanting to watch Sky Sports online through a mobile device will need to ensure they have good 4G signal or connect via WiFi for the best viewing quality.
It's also worth bearing in mind the Sky Go app doesn't allow content to be downloaded and watched later, so everything must be streamed live at the time it's shown.
Lastly, Sky customers who also have a Sky Mobile plan can get zero-rated data for the Sky Go app, so they won't use up any data allowance.
Sky Go Extra
For people who want to watch Sky Sports online, upgrading to Sky Go Extra may be worth considering.
It costs £5 per month on a monthly rolling contract on Sky+ or Sky Q, or is included for free with Multiscreen or Whole Home with Sky Stream and Sky Glass.
The benefits of Sky Go Extra include:
- Watch on up to four devices at once
- Download content to watch later, even without an Internet connection
- Remotely record/download programmes to the Sky Q box
- Support for Xbox and PlayStation consoles
- Apple TV support for Sky Go requires a Multiscreen subscription
There a couple of caveats regarding watching live programmes and downloading them with Sky Go Extra:
- Only two downloads per programme are allowed
- Downloads are deleted 48 hours after viewing starts, or 30 days from download if not viewed
- Sky Go and Sky Go Extra may have fewer licencing rights than a normal Sky TV subscription, so some content may not be available
Overall, these issues may not hinder sports fans as viewing is usually live, or as close to live as possible, but it could affect other content, for example for downloaded films or TV series.
Sky Sports plans
The cost of Sky Sports on Sky for new customers is currently:
| Package | Channels | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Sky Entertainment + Netflix + Sky Sports | 159 | £39 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £8/mth on Sky Sports + Save £9/mth on Sky Entertainment & Netflix + Free setup (worth £39.95) (Ends 03/12/2024) | |||||
|
|
Sky Glass + Sky Sports | 159 | £53 | £20 | 48 months |
| Offer: Save £9/mth on Sky Entertainment & Netflix + Save £8/mth on Sky Sports + | |||||
|
|
Sky Entertainment + Netflix + Sky Sports + Full Fibre 75 | 159 | £56 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £8/mth on Sky Sports + Save £9/mth on Sky Entertainment & Netflix + Reduced price broadband + Free setup (Ends 03/12/2024) | |||||
Read more about Sky Stream TV in our full review.
Sky Sports online with Virgin Media
Virgin Media customers who have the Sky Sports pack in their TV plan can use the dedicated Sky Sports app to watch events and matches online.
The Sky Sports app is essentially the Sky Sports website in mobile form, with the ability to personalise the content to show favourite teams and leagues.
It also offers extra features such as highlights, clips, live radio coverage, as well as full fixtures, results and league tables for a variety of sports.
While the Sky Sports app can be downloaded by anyone, only Virgin Media TV customers with a Sky Sports subscription will be able to access the live and on-demand content.
Sky Sports plans
To watch Sky Sports online via Virgin Media customers will need to take a Virgin Media broadband and TV bundle. New customers can get these offers:
| Package | Channels | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
M125 Fibre Broadband + Flex + Sky Sports | 159 | 132Mb average | £64.99 | £10 | 18 months |
| Offer: Get 10% credit back on every subscription you add to Flex | ||||||
|
|
Bigger bundle + Sports | 199 | 516Mb average | Free for 3 mths, then £69.99 |
Free | 18 months |
| Offer: Black Friday: 3 months free + 3 months free Disney+ Standard + No setup fee (was £35) (Ends 08/12/2024) | ||||||
|
|
Mega Volt bundle | 230 | 1.13Gb average | £20 for 3 mths, then £84.99 |
Free | 18 months |
| Offer: Black Friday: Just £20 for 3 months + No setup fee (was £35) + O2 mobile SIM with Unlimited data, minutes and texts (Ends 08/12/2024) | ||||||
Customers can choose between a full Virgin 360 subscription with a recordable box, or the newer Flex service which also offers the ability to access the Sky Sports app.
Read more about Virgin Media TV 360 or Virgin Media Flex TV.
Sky Sports online with BT
BT TV customers can watch Sky Sports through the Big Sport or Full Works bundles or by adding a NOW Sports Membership to their existing TV plan.
Customers can then watch Sky Sports through their BT TV Box Pro, or online through the NOW TV app, which is supported by devices including:
- iOS smartphones and tablets
- Android smartphones and tablets
- Windows
- Mac
- Apple TV
- Roku
- Chromecast
- Android TV
- PlayStation
- Xbox
There are plenty of options then for BT TV customers to watch their Sky Sports subscription online, either at home or away from home.
Sky Sports plans
BT TV packages with Sky Sports come with BT Sport included too, and customers will get the channels in SD unless they also add the HD pack.
Current new customer offers include:
| Package | Channels | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Big Sport + Full Fibre 100 | 90 | 150Mb average | £64.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £50 BT Reward Card + Save £240 on EE Big Sport TV + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (was £61.99) (Ends 12/12/2024) | ||||||
|
|
Full Works + Full Fibre 100 | 125 | 150Mb average | £54.99 for 3 mths, then £107.99 |
Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £50 BT Reward Card + EE Full Works TV just £25 for 3 months + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (was £61.99) (Ends 12/12/2024) | ||||||
The Full Works plan comes with Sky Sports and BT Sport in HD as standard, but Big Sport customers will need the HD pack for £6 per month.
Read more in our BT TV review.
Sky Sports online with TalkTalk
Like BT, TalkTalk TV uses NOW Memberships to offer customers a way to watch premium content such as Sky Sports.
Customers with either the Android TV box or Netgem 4K TV box can add a NOW Sports membership, and will have NOW Boost included for free, so they'll get the Sky Sports channels in 1080p HD as standard.
To watch Sky Sports online TalkTalk TV customers can access their membership plan through the NOW TV app.
Sky Sports plans
TalkTalk TV is available exclusively for TalkTalk broadband customers, and new customers can get discounted prices as well as reward card vouchers on full fibre packages.
Current new customer offers include:
| Package | Channels | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Full Fibre 150 Sports | 79 | 152Mb average | £58 | Free | 18 months |
| Offer: Save £14.99 per month + NOW Boost at no extra cost + Free setup and P&P | ||||||
Read more in our TalkTalk TV review.
Sky Sports online with NOW
NOW offer a low-cost flexible way to watch Sky Sports online with the NOW Sports Membership available on a rolling monthly contract for £29.99, or reduced to £26 per month if customers are willing to contract for a minimum of 6 months.
While NOW is owned by Sky, they provide access to premium content including Sky Sports on a streaming-only basis, so it's not possible to pause and rewind live moments, or record TV.
Sports Memberships currently include:
| Package | Channels | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sports Day Membership | 12 | £14.99 | Free | 24 hours |
|
Sports Membership | 11 | £26 | Free | 6 months |
| Offer: Save 25% and 1 month free trial of Boost | |||||
The full NOW Sports Membership includes access to all Sky Sports channels in 720p HD, and will automatically continue until a customer chooses to cancel, although this can be done on a monthly basis so the contract is flexible.
The day pass includes access to full Sky Sports pack for 24 hours, which could be useful for a particular match, but otherwise is likely to become poor value for money.
For full 1080p HD customers will need to upgrade to NOW Boost, which costs £6 per month and includes:
- All Sky Sports channels in 1080p HD
- Dolby Digital 5.1 sound
- Stream on up to three devices simultaneously
Boost is more for customers who want to watch Sky Sports on a larger screen like a TV set, and is unlikely to be necessary for those who only want to watch online.
Read more about NOW TV Memberships.
Sky Sports Mobile TV
There used to be another option to watch Sky Sports on a no-contract basis called Sky Sports Mobile TV.
As the name suggests, it was a way of enabling customers to watch Sky Sports on a small screen for a comparatively low fee.
This service was withdrawn by Sky in February 2021 and customers are now advised to take the NOW Sports Membership if they want a contract-free way of viewing Sky Sports online.
Verdict: the best way to watch Sky Sports online
There are a number of ways for customers to watch Sky Sports online, whether that's through a NOW membership or a premium TV pack with Sky, Virgin Media, BT, or TalkTalk.
NOW offers the cheapest and most flexible way, with the Sports Membership plan available on a monthly rolling contract, as well as on a day pass with nine months of smartphone viewing for just over a tenner.
However, for people who also want to watch other channels, a full Sky TV plan offers the Sky Sports pack for much less than NOW when looking just at the cost of the add-on itself. Sky also include the Sky Sports channels in 1080p HD as standard, while NOW customers have to pay more for full HD.
Sky Stream Puck and Virgin Media Stream also offer contract-free ways to watch Sky Sports, with both options providing a free app for watching live sports online both at home and on the move.
Overall, the best way to watch Sky Sports online is:
- Sky Go app through a Sky subscription
- Sky Sports app through a Virgin Media plan
- NOW TV app through a NOW Sports Membership plan
Read more about the differences between Sky and NOW TV.
Find out more about the cheapest ways to get Sky Sports, or compare Sky Sports bundles in your area.
Comments (2)