The cheapest way to get Sky Sports on its own is with Sky TV, where the full pack costs £20 per month, including Sky Sports+ and full HD viewing.
If you also need broadband, bundles can work out better overall value, with Virgin Media offering the strongest option when speed is taken into account.
This guide breaks down the cheapest ways to watch Sky Sports across different setups, including TV-only plans, bundles, HD and Ultra HD viewing, and Sky Sports+ access.
Quick answer: cheapest ways to get Sky Sports
The cheapest way to get Sky Sports depends on whether you want it on its own or bundled with TV and broadband, as pricing varies significantly between providers.
The quick picks below highlight the lowest-cost options right now based on price, flexibility, and overall value.
Cheapest overall bundle
Virgin Media M500 Sport HD + Netflix - £52.99/month with Sky Sports in full HD, 516Mbps download speeds and over 200 live TV channels, including Sky Entertainment.
Cheapest TV-only option
Sky Essential TV + Sky Sports - from ~£35/month including Sky Sports in full HD, and Sky TV with Netflix, Discovery+ Entertainment and Sky Atlantic.
Most flexible option
Virgin Media Flex - add Sky Sports on a monthly rolling basis with no long contract to any Virgin Media broadband deal.
Best for Ultra HD
Sky TV - UHD upgrade costs £6/month (cheaper than Virgin Media's £7).
Best with fastest broadband
Virgin Media M500 Sport HD + Netflix bundles 516Mbps peak-time download speeds, compared with ~150Mbps on similarly priced Sky or EE TV bundles.
Tip: If you can take TV and broadband from the same provider, you can often save more overall. Sky frequently discounts broadband for TV customers, while Virgin Media bundles can work out cheaper if their network is available at your address.
Availability: Sky TV is available nationwide and can be paired with almost any broadband provider. Virgin Media is only available on its own network, so it's worth checking Sky Sports deal availability by postcode before deciding.
Cheapest broadband + Sky Sports bundles
Sky Sports is available in broadband and TV bundles from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and EE, but prices and value vary significantly depending on speed, channels and extras.
Right now, the cheapest overall bundle is from Virgin Media. Its M500 Sport HD + Netflix package costs £52.99 per month and includes 516Mbps full-fibre broadband, Sky Sports in HD, a wide range of entertainment channels, plus National Geographic and Discovery channels.
A lower-cost alternative is Sky Essential TV with Sky Sports, which includes Sky Sports HD, around 100 live channels, plus Sky Atlantic, Netflix and Discovery+ Entertainment. While broadband speed depends on your chosen Sky plan, this option can work out cheaper for households that don't need ultrafast speeds.
The cheapest broadband + Sky Sports deals currently available are:
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
M500 Sport HD + Netflix | Sky Sports, Netflix, Sky Entertainment | 516Mb average | £52.99 | Free | 24 months |
 |
Sky Essential TV + Sky Sports + Full Fibre 150 | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+ | 150Mb average | £55 | Free | 24 months |
 Offer: Save £11/mth on Sky Sports + Reduced price broadband + Free setup (worth £39.95) | ||||||
 |
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 150 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 150Mb average | £69.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £50 Reward Card + 6 months free Apple TV+ + Unlimited data boost on EE pay monthly mobile plan (Ends 09/04/2026) | ||||||
 |
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 150 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 150Mb average | £71.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £75 BT Reward Card + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (Ends 31/03/2026) | ||||||
Virgin Media includes Sky Sports in HD as part of its M500 Sport HD + Netflix bundle, which combines over 200 TV channels, the full Sky Sports pack in 1080p HD, Sky Sports+, the Sky Sports mobile app, Netflix Standard with Ads, and broadband averaging 516Mbps. Availability is more limited than Sky or BT, so it's worth checking coverage before choosing this option.
Sky offers two TV plans: Essential and Ultimate. Essential TV costs £15 per month and includes around 100 channels plus Sky Atlantic, Netflix and Discovery+ Entertainment. Ultimate TV costs £22 per month and adds roughly 35 extra Sky Entertainment channels.
Both plans can be paired with Sky Sports for £20 per month, which includes all nine Sky Sports channels in full HD, Sky Sports+, and the Sky Go app. Sky also offers exclusive channels such as Sky Atlantic, its Sky Originals catalogue, and optional upgrades like Sky Sports in Ultra HD. Additional discounts are often available when broadband is bundled.
BT and EE provide Sky Sports via NOW Sports Memberships added to their TV and broadband bundles. Sky Sports+ is included, but full HD costs an extra £6 per month, which can make these options more expensive overall for HD viewing. Ultra HD isn't supported.
Cheapest TV-only Sky Sports option
Although bundling TV with broadband is usually cheaper overall, customers who only want Sky Sports can still take a standalone TV package directly from Sky.
With Sky Stream and Sky Glass, Sky TV now works over an existing internet connection, so there's no satellite dish required and you can keep your current broadband provider.
Prices start at just £15 per month, plus £20 for Sky Sports:
| Package | Includes | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sky Essential TV + Sky Sports | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+ | £35 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £11/mth on Sky Sports + Free setup (worth £39.95) | |||||
|
Sky Ultimate TV + Sky Sports | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+, Sky Entertainment, Disney+, Hayu, HBO Max | £42 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £11/mth on Sky Sports + Save £10/mth on Sky Ultimate TV + Free setup (worth £39.95) | |||||
Alongside the 2nd generation Sky Glass, Sky also offers a lower-cost TV option, Sky Glass Air, available from £6 per month over 48 months (plus a Sky TV subscription), which can reduce upfront costs for households that want a new TV alongside their service.
| Package | Includes | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sky Glass Air + Sky Essential TV + Sky Sports | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+, Sky Entertainment | £41 | £20 | 48 months |
|
Sky Glass (gen 2) + Sky Ultimate TV + Sky Sports | Netflix, Sky Sports, Sky Atlantic, Discovery+, Sky Entertainment, Disney+, Hayu, HBO Max | £56 | £20 | 48 months |
| Offer: Save £10/mth on Sky Ultimate TV + Save £11/mth on Sky Sports | |||||
Sky's current offers include discounts on Sky Sports and Sky Ultimate TV plus free setup with Sky Stream, with total savings of up to £21 per month. Even so, Sky Essential TV remains the cheapest TV-only option overall, while still including an £11 monthly saving on the Sky Sports pack.
Sky Glass (Gen 2) customers also get £11 off Sky Sports and £10 off Sky Ultimate TV. This may suit households considering the latest Sky Glass TV, especially as broadband can be added during checkout if needed.
That said, TV-only deals usually save around £20 per month compared with bundles, which often isn't enough to offset the cost of paying for broadband separately. In practice, the lowest overall price is still typically achieved by taking Sky Sports as part of a TV and broadband bundle.
Most flexible way to get Sky Sports
The most flexible Sky Sports options let you add or remove the channels monthly, rather than committing to a long contract. This can suit viewers who only want access during a specific season, tournament or event.
Sky TV offers the most straightforward flexibility. Both Sky Essential TV and Sky Ultimate TV can be taken on 31-day rolling terms, with Sky Sports added monthly. This costs more per month than long contracts, but gives full control over when you pay for sport.
Virgin Media Flex also allows Sky Sports to be added on a monthly basis. While the broadband contract itself is long-term, TV subscriptions on Flex can be switched on or off each month, making it one of the more flexible ways to manage sports access.
BT and EE TV take a slightly different approach. Their TV plans usually run on 24-month contracts, but customers can change add-ons monthly. That means you can stay on a lower-cost base package and upgrade to a sports bundle when a particular competition or season is on.
The most flexible Sky Sports options currently available are:
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sky Essential TV + Sky Sports: 31-days | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Discovery+ | N/a | £43 | Free | 1 month |
| Offer: Free setup (worth £39.95) + Flexible 31-day contract | ||||||
|
Sky Ultimate TV + Sky Sports: 31-days | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Discovery+, Sky Entertainment, Disney+, Hayu, HBO Max | N/a | £50 | £20 | 1 month |
| Offer: Save £10 on Sky Ultimate TV + Flexible 31-day contract | ||||||
|
M125 Fibre Broadband + Flex + Sky Sports | Sky Sports | 132Mb average | £57.57 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Sky Sports just £28.58/mth + Get 10% credit back on every subscription you add to Flex | ||||||
|
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 150 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 150Mb average | £71.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £75 BT Reward Card + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (Ends 31/03/2026) | ||||||
Monthly options usually cost more per month than long-term deals, but they can still work out cheaper overall if you only plan to watch Sky Sports for part of the year rather than keeping it year-round.
It's also possible to combine approaches - for example, taking Sky TV on a lower-cost long contract while adding Sky Sports on a rolling monthly basis. This can reduce base costs while still letting you switch sport on and off when needed.
Best Sky Sports deal for existing customers
Sky TV: Add Sky Sports for £22 per month
If you already have Sky TV, the cheapest way to add Sky Sports right now is Sky's current upgrade offer, which lets existing customers add the full Sky Sports pack for £22 per month on a new 24-month term.
This includes all nine Sky Sports channels in full HD, Sky Sports+, and access to the Sky Sports mobile app, and is available to Sky Q, Sky Stream and Sky Glass customers.
After the minimum term ends, the price returns to the standard monthly rate (£30 for Sky Stream or Glass, £35 for Sky Q), so the discount mainly benefits customers planning to keep Sky Sports long-term.
Fastest broadband bundles with Sky Sports
For households that want Sky Sports alongside faster broadband, several providers offer higher-speed bundle options with upgraded connection tiers.
Virgin Media typically offers the fastest speeds, with its Gig1 Sport HD + Netflix + O2 SIM plan increasing broadband from M500 to Gig1 while also including a WiFi guarantee and a 10GB O2 SIM.
Sky, BT and EE also provide Sky Sports bundles with faster broadband tiers, which are listed below.
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gig1 Sport HD + Netflix + O2 SIM | Sky Sports, Netflix, Sky Entertainment | 1.13Gb average | £58.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: O2 mobile SIM with 10GB data, unlimited minutes and texts | ||||||
|
Sky Essential TV + Sky Sports + Full Fibre 500 | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+ | 500Mb average | £60 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £11/mth on Sky Sports + Reduced price broadband + Free setup (worth £39.95) | ||||||
|
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 500 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 500Mb average | £72.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £80 Reward Card + 6 months free Apple TV+ + Unlimited data boost on EE pay monthly mobile plan (Ends 09/04/2026) | ||||||
|
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 500 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 500Mb average | £75.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £125 BT Reward Card + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (Ends 31/03/2026) | ||||||
Virgin Media's Gig1 bundle includes Gig1 broadband with average peak-time download speeds of around 1130Mbps. For most households, this represents Virgin Media's fastest widely available tier and is offered across its main network footprint.
Sky customers can pair Sky Sports with faster broadband tiers such as Full Fibre 500, which averages around 500Mbps. Current offers may also include discounted broadband pricing, money off Sky Sports, and savings on Sky Ultimate TV, with the option to choose the lower-cost Essential TV plan instead.
BT and EE also provide higher-speed full fibre plans, including 500Mbps and 900Mbps tiers, often with Reward Card incentives. These can still be bundled with their Big Sport TV package, which includes both Sky Sports and TNT Sports.
Gigabit-capable broadband is available across several providers, but maximum speeds depend on your address and network availability: Check availability for Sky Sports & broadband.
In practice: if your priority is raw speed, Virgin Media will usually deliver the fastest connection. If price matters more than peak performance, Sky is often the lower-cost option for combining faster broadband with Sky Sports.
Current Sky Sports deals by provider
The deals below show current Sky Sports packages available to new customers from Sky, Virgin Media, BT and EE TV. Prices, speeds and availability can vary depending on your address.
BT Broadband & EE TV
Up to £200 Reward Card + free setup
Offer ends: 5 March 2026
New BT broadband and TV customers can receive up to a £200 Reward Card when taking BT full fibre broadband with speeds of 74Mbps or above, when ordering before 5 March 2026.
The Reward Card can be spent at retailers that accept MasterCard and is available on selected BT broadband packages.
Customers who add the Big Sport TV pack to any BT broadband package also benefit from free setup on both broadband and TV.
Big Sport includes the full Sky Sports pack, all four TNT Sports channels, and a Discovery+ TNT Sports & Entertainment membership. The service has since been rebranded as EE TV, but continues to require BT broadband.
Here is the best Sky Sports offer currently available from BT:
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 150 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 150Mb average | £71.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £75 BT Reward Card + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (Ends 31/03/2026) | ||||||
|
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 900 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 900Mb average | £77.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £150 BT Reward Card + Free setup on BT Broadband and EE TV (Ends 31/03/2026) | ||||||
EE Broadband & EE TV
£150 Reward Card + 6 months free Apple TV+
Offer ends: 12 March 2026
EE TV customers can get the Big Sport pack for £43 per month with full fibre EE broadband from £26.99 per month when ordering before 12 March 2026.
EE is also offering a £150 Reward Card on selected broadband packages, available with speeds of 67Mbps and above. Customers also get 6 months of Apple TV+ to try the service too.
Big Sport includes the full Sky Sports pack, all four TNT Sports channels, and a Discovery+ TNT Sports & Entertainment membership.
Here are the best Sky Sports offers currently available from EE:
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 150 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 150Mb average | £69.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £50 Reward Card + 6 months free Apple TV+ + Unlimited data boost on EE pay monthly mobile plan (Ends 09/04/2026) | ||||||
|
Big Sport TV + Full Fibre 900 | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | 900Mb average | £74.99 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: £100 Reward Card + 6 months free Apple TV+ + Unlimited data boost on EE pay monthly mobile plan (Ends 09/04/2026) | ||||||
Sky TV
Sky Sports for £20 per month, plus £10 off Sky Ultimate TV
New Sky TV customers can get the full Sky Sports pack for £20 per month, including Sky Sports+, and access to the Sky Sports mobile app. This represents a saving of £13 per month compared with the standard Sky Sports price.
Customers also receive £10 per month off Sky Ultimate TV, bringing the combined cost to £42 per month. Alternatively, Sky Essential TV is priced at £15 per month with the same Sky Sports offer, making the total £35 per month.
Setup is currently free, saving £39.95. Additional savings are available when bundling Sky broadband, with full fibre packages starting from £20 per month for average download speeds of 150Mbps.
Here are the best Sky Sports deals currently available from Sky:
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sky Essential TV + Sky Sports | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+ | N/a | £35 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £11/mth on Sky Sports + Free setup (worth £39.95) | ||||||
|
Sky Ultimate TV + Sky Sports | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+, Sky Entertainment, Disney+, Hayu, HBO Max | N/a | £42 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £11/mth on Sky Sports + Save £10/mth on Sky Ultimate TV + Free setup (worth £39.95) | ||||||
|
Sky Ultimate TV + Sky Sports + Full Fibre 150 | Netflix, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports, Discovery+, Sky Entertainment, Disney+, Hayu, HBO Max | 150Mb average | £59 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Save £11/mth on Sky Sports + Save £10/mth on Sky Ultimate TV + Reduced price broadband + Free setup | ||||||
Virgin Media: Cheapest price overall
M500 Sports HD + Netflix: £52.99 per month
Virgin Media currently offers one of the cheapest overall ways to get Sky Sports alongside broadband and TV. Its M500 Sports HD + Netflix plan combines fibre broadband with average speeds of around 516 Mbps, the full Sky Sports HD channel line-up, and access to Sky Sports+.
Compared with similarly priced bundles from rivals, Virgin Media's advantage is often its faster broadband. Core Sky Sports packages typically include speeds of around 500 Mbps, whereas comparable Sky bundles at similar monthly prices may offer closer to 150 Mbps - giving Virgin a performance edge for households that prioritise both sport and connection speed.
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
M500 Sport HD + Netflix | Sky Sports, Netflix, Sky Entertainment | 516Mb average | £52.99 | Free | 24 months |
Virgin Media Flex: 30-day rolling plan
10% off Sky Sports
Virgin Media's contract-free Flex TV lets customers add Sky Sports on a monthly rolling basis, making it one of the more flexible ways to watch without committing to a long-term contract.
Sky Sports on Flex is included in full 1080p HD as standard alongside Sky Sports+, with the option to upgrade to Sky Sports Ultra HD for an additional £7 per month.
Flex can be added to any Virgin Media broadband package, with the lowest entry prices currently available on M125 Fibre Broadband listed below:
| Package | Includes | Broadband | Monthly price | Upfront price | Contract term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
M125 Fibre Broadband + Flex + Sky Sports | Sky Sports | 132Mb average | £57.57 | Free | 24 months |
| Offer: Sky Sports just £28.58/mth + Get 10% credit back on every subscription you add to Flex | ||||||
Comparing Sky Sports features and options
Price is only one part of choosing a Sky Sports deal. Providers can differ in channel line-ups, picture quality, device support and contract terms, which may affect which option is best for you.
The sections below explain the key differences to look for when comparing Sky Sports packages.
Sky Sports in HD
The Sky Sports bundles covered above highlight some of the lowest-priced ways to get Sky Sports, but price alone doesn't tell the full story.
Sky and Virgin Media both include Sky Sports in 1080p HD as standard. BT, EE and NOW offer Sky Sports in 720p HD by default, with the option to upgrade to 1080p HD via a Boost add-on for an extra £6 per month.
| Sky Sports Resolution | 1080p HD cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Sky TV | 1080p | Included |
| Virgin Media | 1080p | Included |
| BT TV | 720p | £6/mth extra |
| EE TV | 720p | £6/mth extra |
| NOW TV | 720p | £6/mth extra |
Virgin Media upgraded Sky Sports to full HD as standard in July 2023, which applies to both the standard Sport HD plan and the top tier Max Volt bundle.
Sky Sports in Ultra HD
Virgin Media offers Sky Sports Ultra HD across its TV platforms, including Mega TV and Flex. Ultra HD support was first introduced in February 2023, bringing Virgin Media in line with Sky TV.
Sky Sports Ultra HD costs an extra £7 per month on top of an HD subscription. Mega TV customers already include HD, so only need to pay £7 for Ultra HD. Customers with Sky Sports in SD would need to pay £14 for Ultra HD, or £7 to upgrade to HD.
Sky Sports Ultra HD is also available on Virgin Flex for an additional £7 per month.
On Sky, the Ultra HD upgrade for Sky Sports costs an extra £6 per month. Depending on bundle choices, this can make Sky the slightly cheaper option for watching Sky Sports in Ultra HD and HDR.
NOW also offers an Ultra Boost option. For an extra £9 per month, NOW Sports viewers can watch four Sky Sports channels in 4K Ultra HD HDR and listen in Dolby Atmos surround sound.
While BT and EE both use NOW to deliver Sky Sports, their TV boxes do not support the Ultra HD option. Viewers are therefore limited to NOW Boost, which provides 1080p HD.
| Ultra HD cost | |
|---|---|
| Sky TV | £6/mth |
| Virgin Media | £7/mth (when added to HD) |
| NOW | £9/mth |
| BT/EE | Not available |
| TalkTalk | Not available |
We've more on the best TV providers for HD and UHD content here.
Sky Sports channels
While each TV provider has become increasingly similar in their Sky Sports line-ups, the core set of channels remains consistent across major UK providers. Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk and NOW Sports Membership all offer access to the main Sky Sports channels as part of a full Sky Sports subscription.
These typically include:
| Programmes | |
|---|---|
| Sky Sports Main Event | Flagship live events from across Sky Sports, including major football matches, cricket, boxing, Formula 1 and more. When not showing live sport, it simulcasts Sky Sports News. |
| Sky Sports Premier League | Live Premier League matches selected by Sky, alongside analysis, debate shows, documentaries, and highlights programming. |
| Sky Sports Football | Football coverage beyond the Premier League, including the EFL, Carabao Cup, SPFL, European leagues, international football, and studio analysis. |
| Sky Sports Cricket | Live and recorded cricket coverage, including England home internationals, domestic competitions, selected overseas tours, and cricket documentaries. |
| Sky Sports Golf | Major golf tournaments including The Masters, The Open, the US Open, Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, plus analysis, interviews and original features. |
| Sky Sports F1 | Complete Formula 1 coverage, including every race weekend live, practice and qualifying sessions, analysis, documentaries, and classic races. |
| Sky Sports Action | A wide range of live sport, including rugby union and league, boxing, NFL, darts, tennis, WWE, and other international sporting events. |
| Sky Sports Tennis | Dedicated tennis channel covering the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, Grand Slam tournaments including the US Open, and additional live and studio programming. |
| Sky Sports Racing | Live horse racing coverage from UK and international racecourses, plus previews, analysis and racing-related programming. |
| Sky Sports Mix | A rotating selection of live sport, highlights, documentaries and magazine-style programming from across the Sky Sports network. |
| Sky Sports News | 24-hour rolling sports news channel covering breaking stories, live updates, interviews and analysis across all major sports. |
| Sky Sports+ | Additional live streams and events available alongside the main Sky Sports channels, including extra matches and simultaneous coverage not shown on linear channels. |
Sky TV customers get access to Sky Sports Mix, Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Racing whether or not they take the full Sky Sports pack.
Virgin Media also includes Sky Sports Racing, Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Mix in its Mega TV plan, as well as with the M500 Sports HD + Netflix plan.
Virgin Media Flex customers receive Sky Sports Racing at no extra cost, while Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports News are only included when taking the Essential Entertainment pack, which costs extra.
As a result, both Sky and Virgin Media offer some Sky Sports content without requiring customers to subscribe to the full Sky Sports package.
Because BT/EE and TalkTalk rely on NOW Sports Memberships for access to Sky Sports, customers on these platforms do not receive any Sky Sports channels at no extra cost.
Sky Sports Tennis, which launched on 11th February 2024, is now available to customers with a full Sky Sports subscription. The channel is carried on Sky, Virgin Media and NOW.
Sky Sports+
Launched in August 2024, Sky Sports+ expands Sky Sports coverage with additional live streams, allowing viewers to watch multiple matches and events simultaneously. It also introduced a new Sky Sports+ linear channel, which replaced Sky Sports Arena.
Sky Sports+ is included at no extra cost for customers with a full Sky Sports subscription, with the additional content integrated into the existing Sky Sports experience.
As Sky Sports+ relies on streaming, it is only available on internet-enabled platforms, including Sky Stream, Sky Glass, Sky Q, Virgin TV 360, Virgin Stream and NOW. It is also accessible via the Sky Sports mobile app.
This means new customers taking Sky Sports with Sky TV, Virgin Media or NOW will get access to Sky Sports+. It also marks the first time NOW Sports viewers can pause and rewind live sporting events.
BT and TalkTalk customers can also access Sky Sports+ through their NOW Sports Memberships.
Customers using older hardware, such as Sky+ HD boxes or legacy Virgin Media boxes, will be limited to the Sky Sports+ linear channel only, as these boxes do not support the additional streaming features.
Read more on Sky Sports+ here.
Sky Sports on-demand
For customers who want to watch Sky Sports on the go, it's useful to understand which providers allow access to Sky Sports content on smartphones, tablets and other devices.
Sky's Sky Go app allows Sky TV customers to watch their subscribed channels, including Sky Sports, on compatible devices when away from home. Sky Go is included at no extra cost with all Sky TV packages.
Sky Go Extra, which costs £5 per month or is included with Sky Q Experience, adds the ability to download content for offline viewing and extends app access to additional devices such as games consoles.
Virgin Media TV customers can access Sky Sports content through the Sky Sports app on supported devices, including smartphones and tablets, as long as Sky Sports is included in their subscription.
NOW customers can stream live and on-demand Sky Sports across a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and games consoles. Without Boost or Ultra Boost, viewing is limited to one device at a time, although up to six devices can be registered to an account.
NOW Boost increases this to two simultaneous streams, while Ultra Boost allows up to three streams at the same time, which may suit larger households.
In practice, Sky offers the most integrated mobile experience, Virgin Media relies on the standalone Sky Sports app, and NOW provides the widest device compatibility with flexible streaming limits.
Sky Sports with TNT Sports
Some sports fans may want to combine Sky Sports and TNT Sports to avoid missing key fixtures, particularly as Premier League and European matches are spread across multiple broadcasters.
TNT Sports is the new name for BT Sport and carries over the same channels and core rights, including a set number of Premier League matches and exclusive UK coverage of the UEFA Champions League.
Sky TV customers receive a £3 per month discount on TNT Sports when taking Sky Sports alongside it. Both sports packs are available in HD as standard, although the £6 per month Ultra HD add-on is required to watch TNT Sports Ultimate.
Virgin Media customers can add TNT Sports Complete to either Mega TV or Flex, which includes TNT Sports in both HD and Ultra HD.
BT and EE customers can access TNT Sports through the Sport, Big Sport and Full Works plans. However, an additional charge applies to watch the channels in HD and Ultra HD.
Read more on the best Sky Sports and BT Sport packages.
Verdict: who offers the cheapest Sky Sports deal?
For most households, bundling Sky Sports with TV and broadband remains the lowest-cost option overall.
Virgin Media is typically the cheapest choice for combined packages, offering Sky Sports in full HD, access to Sky Sports+, and more than 200 TV channels, alongside broadband averaging around 500Mbps. For households that want both sport and fast internet, this combination often delivers the strongest overall value.
Sky can still be the cheaper option in specific cases. For example, its Ultra HD upgrade costs £6 per month compared with £7 on Virgin Media, which may make Sky the better choice for viewers prioritising 4K sport.
Sky also offers greater short-term flexibility. Customers can take Sky TV and add Sky Sports on a rolling monthly basis, which costs more per month but may work out cheaper overall for viewers who only watch sport during certain seasons or events.
In practice, the cheapest option depends on what matters most to you - lowest monthly price, fastest broadband, Ultra HD viewing, or contract flexibility. Checking availability at your address is usually the quickest way to see which deals you can actually get.
