How to Watch the Premier League Without Sky TV or a Dish

You can watch the Premier League without Sky in two ways: stream Sky Sports’ matches through NOW, which needs no dish and no Sky TV contract, and watch TNT Sports’ 52 games through HBO Max or your BT or EE TV service. If you want to avoid Sky’s channels completely, you are limited to TNT Sports, BBC highlights and radio.

That distinction matters, because Sky Sports holds most of the live rights. Here is how each route works in 2026-27.

Why “without Sky” is tricky

Under the current UK rights deals, Sky Sports shows at least 215 live Premier League games a season and TNT Sports shows 52. So “without Sky” usually means one of two things:

• Without a Sky TV contract or satellite dish. Easy: NOW and several broadband TV providers carry the Sky Sports channels.
• Without paying Sky at all. Possible, but you will only see TNT’s games live, plus highlights of everything.

Option 1: NOW (Sky Sports with no contract)

NOW is Sky’s own streaming service, but it runs on an app rather than a Sky box. You can watch on smart TVs, streaming sticks, games consoles, phones and laptops, and there is no installation.

Prices are as listed on NOW’s help pages at the time of writing. The Football membership includes Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Football and the football streams on Sky Sports+. Saver prices need a minimum term and are only for members billed directly by NOW.

Option 2: TNT Sports on HBO Max

Since 26 March 2026, TNT Sports has been sold through HBO Max in the UK rather than discovery+. At the time of writing it costs around £30.99 a month, or about £25.99 a month on a 12-month saver term. That gets you TNT’s 52 Premier League games, including the exclusive Saturday 12:30 kick-off, plus its Champions League coverage.

If you already have broadband with BT or EE, you can usually add TNT Sports to your bill instead. Sky customers can also get TNT Sports through Sky, but that does not suit anyone trying to avoid Sky.

Option 3: Broadband TV providers

Several UK providers resell Sky Sports and TNT Sports through their own TV boxes and apps:

• EE TV and BT TV: can add TNT Sports and the All Sky Sports NOW membership to their TV bill. The cheaper NOW Football tier is not available through them.
• Virgin Media: sells Sky Sports and TNT Sports as add-ons to its TV packages. Check its current bundles for prices.

These can be convenient if you already pay for broadband, but compare the total against NOW and HBO Max, which you can stop at short notice.

Option 4: Free and nearly free

• BBC Match of the Day covers all 380 games in highlights form on BBC One and iPlayer. You need a TV licence (£180 a year from April 2026).
• Radio: BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT hold the live audio rights, so you can follow your team live for free.
• Official clips: clubs and broadcasters post goals and highlights on YouTube and social media.

Comparing the routes

Setting up without a Sky box

1. Check your internet speed. HD streaming needs a steady connection; our guide to why IPTV streams buffer explains what helps.
2. Pick a device. Most smart TVs, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV and Google TV devices run the NOW and HBO Max apps. See our list of the best streaming devices.
3. Sign up on the official website, not through a third-party reseller, and choose flexible or saver billing.
4. Download the apps, sign in, and add your club to favourites so you see upcoming fixtures.

Avoid “Sky without Sky” offers sold as cheap IPTV playlists. Those are unlicensed in the UK, and the police and FACT treat them as illegal. Our guide on how to subscribe to IPTV safely covers what to look out for.

Which option should you choose?

For most people leaving Sky TV, NOW Football plus TNT Sports on HBO Max gives the same live games with no dish and no long Sky contract. If you would rather not pay for Sky Sports at all, TNT Sports plus Match of the Day is a decent compromise.

If you also want a wider spread of live channels for the rest of the household, our IPTV Journal plan costs $89 for 12 months. It is a general IPTV service, so keep using the licensed apps above for Premier League rights in the UK. For more on IPTV in Britain, see our UK IPTV guide.

FAQ

Can I get Sky Sports without a Sky contract?

Yes. NOW streams the Sky Sports channels through an app with flexible monthly memberships, so you need no dish, box or Sky TV contract. A Saver option is cheaper but has a minimum term.

Can I watch the Premier League on Freeview?

Not live. Freeview carries BBC One, so you can watch Match of the Day highlights with a TV licence, but no Premier League games are shown live on free-to-air TV in the UK in 2026-27.

Is TNT Sports still on discovery+?

No. TNT Sports moved to HBO Max in the UK on 26 March 2026. Existing discovery+ TNT subscribers can sign in to HBO Max with the same details, and BT, EE and Sky customers keep watching through their provider.

How many Premier League games can I watch without Sky Sports?

TNT Sports shows 52 live Premier League games in 2026-27. Everything else televised live is on Sky Sports, which you can stream through NOW without a Sky TV subscription.

Is it legal to use a cheap IPTV box for Premier League games?

Only if the service is licensed to show those channels in the UK. Boxes or playlists that rebroadcast Sky Sports or TNT Sports without permission are illegal, and both sellers and users have faced action.