The UEFA Champions League is the Holy Grail of world football, with the best club sides from the biggest leagues around Europe competing for the ultimate bragging rights and glory. Steeped in history, the UEFA Champions League is underway for another season, with the world’s best looking to make their mark on the pitch. But for many Aussie football fans, tuning in for kick-off can be a tough ask, so just where can you catch the Champions League action in Australia? Read on to find out.
How can I watch the Champions League in Australia?
The only way to watch the 2020-2021 Champions League tournament in Australia is through Optus Sport, with streaming available via the Optus Sport app – on mobile, laptop and desktop – or through partner platforms including Fetch, Apple TV, Apple Airplay, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and Xbox.
Being a football fan in Australia has proven to be a struggle, with many games only shown on select channels, usually early in the morning, with the Champions League unfortunately no exception. While the rise of sports streaming services like Kayo have proven a god-send for local fans of overseas leagues, the Champions League will be shown exclusively on the Optus Sports network here in Australia, with sleeping schedules potentially suffering, with some games being shown as early as 4am AEST, while others are at a more bearable time of 6am AEST.
Is Optus Sport any good?
If you tuned into watch any of the 2018 FIFA World Cup through Optus Sport, you’ll know the streaming platform had its fair share of buffering issues. In fact, some viewers couldn’t see any of the action at all. However, the service seemed to redeem itself with no issues over the Champions League final, with fans no doubt hoping for the same during the 2020-2021 tournament.
- All the Optus Sport action can be viewed via Fetch, Apple TV, Apple Airplay, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV or Xbox, as well as via tablet, mobile, desktop or laptop.
Is the Champions League on SBS?
While a staple for free-to-air football coverage in Australia, SBS doesn’t have broadcasting rights for the UEFA Champions League in 2020-2021, although the SBS website does provide articles covering match overviews and previews.
Is the Champions League on Kayo?
While Kayo may cover a number of leagues and matches, including the A-League, La Liga and Major League Soccer, Kayo does not have broadcasting rights for the Premier League or Champions League tournament.
When does the Champions League start?
The 2020-2021 season has started differently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected leagues around the globe, with qualifier games kicking off in August 2020, with the Group Stage to be played in October 2020. The following Play-Off matches to make it into the group stage include:
- Ferencvarosi Vs. Molde – 5:00am (AEST) Wednesday, September 30
- Dynamo Kyiv Vs. Gent – 5:00am (AEST) Wednesday, September 30
- Omonia Nicosia Vs. Olympiacos –Â 5:00am (AEST) Wednesday, September 30
- PAOK Vs. Krasnodar – 5:00am (AEST) Thursday, October 1
- FC Salzburg Vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv – 5:00am (AEST) Thursday, October 1
- FC Midtjylland Vs. Slavia Prague – 5:00am (AEST) Thursday, October 1
When is the Champions League Final?
The final will be played on May 29, 2020 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. Optus Sport is again the only broadcaster for the Champions League Final in Australia.
How to get Optus Sport
Optus Sport is available as an optional extra on eligible Optus plans for no extra cost, but non-Optus customers, and Optus customers who don’t have an eligible plan, can still sign up to Optus Sport, which will set you back under $15 per month. If you’re only interested in signing up for the UEFA tournament, you can cancel at any time, but you’ll be charged for the month’s use.
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