The rumours were true – Disney+ has officially locked in Spanish LaLiga matches for UK and Irish viewers, with the first game kicking off this Saturday night.
LaLiga confirmed today that they’ve struck “groundbreaking three-year broadcast deals” with both Disney+ and Premier Sports, running until the end of the 2027-28 season.
Disney+ gets exclusive Saturday primetime matches, while Premier Sports keeps hold of over 340 matches per season as the main broadcaster.
But here’s the catch: if you want comprehensive Spanish football coverage, you’ll now need both subscriptions.
The Great LaLiga Split
A few days ago, we reported that Disney+ was in advanced talks for LaLiga rights. Today, an official announcement was made.
Disney+ kicks off their exclusive Saturday evening coverage this weekend with Valencia CF hosting Real Sociedad at 8:30pm.
Next week brings some serious heavyweight action – newly promoted Levante UD taking on current champions FC Barcelona, followed by RCD Mallorca versus Real Madrid on 30th August.
These aren’t throwaway fixtures either. Disney+ has secured the Saturday evening slot specifically designed to showcase LaLiga’s biggest teams without clashing with Premier League coverage.
That means regular appearances from Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atl̩tico Madrid Рexactly the matches most UK fans want to watch.
Meanwhile, Premier Sports keeps everything else – over 340 matches per season including El Clásico encounters that don’t fall on Saturday evenings, plus Copa del Rey coverage and Spain’s Segunda División.
Premier Sports is available through several routes – as a standalone streaming service via their Premier Sports Player app, on Sky (channels 419 and 420), Virgin Media (channels 551 and 552), or as an add-on subscription through Amazon Prime Video.
Your Wallet Takes Another Hit
For existing Disney+ subscribers, getting weekly Spanish football thrown in at no extra cost is genuinely handy.
If you’re already paying £4.99 (with ads), £8.99 (standard), or £12.99 (premium) monthly, Saturday night LaLiga matches add real value without any extra cost.
But here’s where it gets expensive for serious Spanish football fans. Premier Sports costs £15.99 per month or £199 annually, while Disney+ runs up to £12.99 monthly.
Want to follow Barcelona and Real Madrid properly? You’re looking at potentially £28.98 per month across both services.
And that’s before we mention the TV Licence requirement. Since Disney+’s matches are live broadcasts, you’ll need that £174.50 annual fee on top of everything else – unless you’re happy waiting for catch-up coverage after matches finish.
The Commentary and Production
Disney+ isn’t messing about with their coverage. ESPN handles production, with Steve McManaman (Real Madrid and Liverpool legend) leading the commentary team alongside former Arsenal and West Ham midfielder Stewart Robson. Ian Darke and Rob Palmer will alternate play-by-play duties.
That’s proper pedigree for what Disney+ is clearly positioning as premium football coverage rather than just an add-on to their entertainment catalogue.
Football Broadcasting Gets Even More Fragmented
This LaLiga split perfectly illustrates how complicated football viewing has become in the UK.
You’ve got Sky and TNT Sports dividing Premier League coverage, Amazon with tennis and NFL, Disney+ now with Women’s Champions League and Saturday LaLiga matches, plus Premier Sports with most Spanish football.
For viewers, it can get frustrating and expensive. For the leagues and broadcasters, it’s about extracting maximum value from different audience segments.
If you’re already a Disney+ subscriber who occasionally enjoys top-quality football, this deal adds genuine value at no extra cost. Saturday evening LaLiga matches featuring the world’s biggest clubs and players is proper premium content.
One thing we’ll be watching closely is whether Disney+ can handle live football without technical problems. They’re usually solid with pre-recorded content, but live sport presents different challenges.
Their debut this Saturday evening will be the real test. Football fans have zero tolerance for buffering during hot moments, and Disney+ needs flawless delivery if they want to be taken seriously in sports broadcasting.
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Can pubs get away with streaming Disney+ from a staff members subscription now to show saturday night games if they don’t have Sky/TNT?
Is it any wonder that the rate of illegal streaming is increasing by leaps and bounds.
This is the problem with singular leagues getting split into packages of matches and each lot being sold off to different subscription services. I am sure the leagues make loads more money that way but it becomes way more expensive for fans to continue watching.
Obviously not as expensive as watching Premier League football here in the UK but all the larger European leagues are now all on separate streaming services or broadcasters probably actually limiting their exposure in the UK more than before.