To watch the EFL Championship live in the UK, you need Sky Sports, which shows more than 1,000 EFL matches a season across its channels and the Sky Sports+ streaming service. Non-Sky customers can get the same games through a NOW Football membership. For free, ITV simulcasts selected Championship games and shows highlights on ITV4 and ITVX.
Here is how the 2026-27 season works for UK fans, what it costs and which games you will not be able to see live.
Sky’s EFL deal in 2026-27
Sky holds the EFL live rights under a deal running until at least 2029. In 2026-27 it plans to show more than 1,000 games out of the 1,891 matches across the Championship, League One, League Two, Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy, with every club live more than 20 times.
A typical weekend round includes up to ten live EFL games, with about five Saturday 12:30pm kick-offs and regular Friday 8pm and Sunday 12:30pm slots. Sky also shows all midweek games, Bank Holiday games and every final-day fixture live.
What is Sky Sports+?
Sky Sports+ is Sky’s extra streaming service, which carries many of the EFL games not shown on the main Sky Sports channels. Sky says it is included at no extra cost for Sky Sports subscribers.
- On Sky: channel 404 on Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream, plus the Sky Sports app.
- Without Sky TV: NOW memberships include the Sky Sports+ streams. The Football membership includes the football streams.
- On your phone: the Watch section of the Sky Sports app, where you can follow your club for quicker access.
What it costs
| Option | What you get | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|
| NOW Football (Flexible) | Sky Sports football channels and football Sky Sports+ streams | £30.99 a month |
| NOW Football (Saver) | Same, minimum term | £23.99 a month |
| NOW Day Membership | All Sky Sports for 24 hours | £14.99 |
| Sky TV with Sky Sports | All Sky Sports channels plus Sky Sports+ | Depends on package |
| ITV / ITVX | Selected live games and highlights | No subscription (TV licence for live viewing) |
NOW prices are from NOW’s help pages at the time of writing. Saver plans are only available when you are billed directly by NOW.
Free Championship football on ITV
Under an agreement between Sky and ITV that runs to the end of 2026-27, ITV simulcasts ten Championship matches a season and shows at least nine Carabao Cup games, including a semi-final and the final. ITV also has 55 EFL highlights programmes per season. Everything is on ITV1 or ITV4, with live streams and catch-up on ITVX.
Saturday 3pm games and the blackout
Most Championship matches still kick off at 3pm on Saturday, and the UK broadcasting blackout means these normally cannot be shown live in the UK. On the 2026-27 opening weekend, Sky Sports+ did stream the 3pm EFL games on 15 August, the weekend before the Premier League season started. For most of the season, though, 3pm games stay off UK screens.
Club streaming passes are generally aimed at fans outside the UK, so check your club’s website for what is offered where you live. Do not use unofficial streams or VPN workarounds; they break UK law or service terms and carry malware risks. Our guide on subscribing to IPTV safely covers the warning signs.
Carabao Cup, League One and League Two
The same Sky deal covers the Carabao Cup and the EFL Trophy, so a Championship fan with NOW Football or Sky Sports will also see their club’s cup runs when they are selected. Early-round Carabao Cup ties are mostly midweek, which means they are outside the Saturday blackout and many are shown live, either on the main channels or Sky Sports+.
If your team is promoted or relegated, nothing changes: League One and League Two are also part of Sky’s package, with extra games during international breaks, when the Premier League is not playing.
How to set it up
- Check your club’s televised fixtures on the EFL or Sky Sports website. Sky confirms its picks weeks in advance.
- Choose Sky TV or NOW. If you only follow one club, NOW Football on a Saver term is usually the better value.
- Install the NOW or Sky Sports app on a smart TV or streaming stick. Our list of the best streaming devices compares good options.
- Bookmark ITVX for the free live games and highlights shows.
If streams stutter, a wired connection and a quick router restart solve most problems. Our IPTV buffering explainer goes into more detail.
Which option should you choose?
Season-long fans should go for NOW Football on a Saver term or Sky Sports on a Sky package, since both include Sky Sports+. Occasional viewers can rely on ITV’s free games and highlights and buy a Day Membership for big fixtures.
For more on sports streaming, see our guide to IPTV sports packages.
FAQ
What channel is the EFL Championship on?
In the UK, live Championship games are on Sky Sports and Sky Sports+, with ten games a season also simulcast free on ITV in 2026-27. ITV4 and ITVX carry highlights.
Is Sky Sports+ free?
Sky says Sky Sports+ comes at no extra cost for Sky Sports subscribers. Without Sky TV, you can get the Sky Sports+ streams through a NOW membership.
Can I watch the EFL Championship without Sky?
Yes. A NOW Football membership streams the Sky Sports football channels and the football Sky Sports+ streams with no Sky TV contract, at around £30.99 a month flexible or £23.99 on a Saver term at the time of writing.
Why are Saturday 3pm Championship games not on TV?
The UK broadcasting blackout stops live football being shown between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on Saturdays. It is designed to protect attendances, especially at lower-league grounds.
Where can I watch Championship highlights for free?
ITV shows EFL highlights programmes on ITV4 and ITVX. Sky Sports and the clubs also post clips after matches.
Part of our guides: UK streaming guide · Soccer streaming guide
