Disney Plus gives UK users free live sports coverage

Disney+ subscribers across the UK can now watch hundreds of hours of content from the American sports broadcaster ESPN.

Users of the platform will now be able to see NBA (National Basketball Association) and NHL (National Hockey League) coverage once the 2026/27 season begins.

Several college football tournaments will also be available to watch.

This will be in addition to viewers’ current access to LaLiga football matches and the UEFA Women’s Champions League matches.

The extra sports coverage has been expanded to Europe and select Asia-Pacific markets.

Alisa Bowen, President of Disney+, said: “Sports and live events are an essential part of our Disney+ content library, and we’re excited to build on the success we’ve already had with sports fans, as we bring more of ESPN to Disney+ subscribers in Europe and APAC.

“This launch adds to our growing portfolio of local sports rights around the world.”

Coverage will start appearing on some Fire TV devices, though the company warns it may take a few days for it to be available across all platforms.

Disney also added that sports coverage may depend on the country from which subscribers access the content.

A Disney+ standard plan with ads costs £5.99 a month, while an ad-free standard account is £9.99 a month.

Sky customers can access new Disney channel

Back in March, millions of Sky customers were able to access a new Disney channel that plays hit movies across its streaming and satellite services.

Disney+ Cinema can be accessed by all Sky TV customers who have a Sky Cinema subscription on channel 305.

The channel comes as part of a new multi-year agreement in the UK between Sky and Disney.

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General Manager of Disney+ and The Walt Disney Company EMEA, Karl Holmes, said: “We’ve grown Disney+ in the UK into our largest market across Europe over the past six years, and Sky is the perfect partner for our next wave of growth in the UK and Ireland.

“This agreement gives millions of Sky customers a simple, seamless way to enjoy all the great stories that Disney+ offers, and opens up a substantial new audience for content creators and advertisers.”

Are you happy to see the extra ESPN coverage come to Disney+ in the UK? Let us know in the comments.