Disney+ has secured exclusive rights to the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the next five seasons, marking the streaming service’s first major move into live sports in the UK.
From October 2025, all 75 matches of the competition will be available live on Disney+ at no extra cost to subscribers.
It’s a significant departure for a platform that’s built its reputation on Marvel blockbusters, Star Wars series, and Disney’s extensive back catalogue rather than live sporting events.
The five-year deal, running from 2025/26 to 2029/30, puts Disney+ alongside Amazon’s Prime Video and even Netflix, as streaming services venture into sports content.
While Amazon has been acquiring Premier League matches in the past, and tennis tournaments, Netflix has experimented with boxing events. Now, Disney+ marks its first serious sports acquisition in the UK market.
It’s Getting Crowded Out There
The deal, announced today (Friday) means women’s football now has six different major broadcasters covering various competitions from next season, highlighting just how fragmented the market has become.
Currently, the BBC and Sky share Women’s Super League rights, while TNT Sports and Channel 4 have secured the Women’s FA Cup.
ITV covers England women’s team matches, with the BBC joining for major tournaments. Meanwhile, every WSL 2 match is available live on YouTube.
For the past four seasons, DAZN has shown the Women’s Champions League across Europe, with TNT Sports occasionally picking up some UK matches.
Disney+’s acquisition of the Champions League represents a notable coup. As arguably the most prestigious women’s club competition in Europe, securing exclusive rights gives Disney+ genuine sporting credibility rather than picking up secondary competitions.
About Those Price Rises Again
This announcement comes at an interesting time for Disney+ subscribers, particularly given the platform’s recent price trajectory.
As we’ve documented extensively, Disney+ has transformed from a £5.99-per-month bargain when it launched in March 2020 to a service now charging £12.99 for its premium (4K) tier – more than doubling in price over five years.
For subscribers who’ve been questioning the value proposition, especially those without children, exclusive live sports coverage could help justify that monthly expense.
The emphasis on “no extra cost” is particularly welcome given the industry-wide trend of streaming price increases and additional fees.
ESPN will handle production duties, bringing considerable sports broadcasting experience to Disney+.
They’ll provide multi-language commentary alongside pre and post-match programming, which should give Disney+ some legitimate sports broadcasting credentials as they enter unfamiliar territory.
The timing works out quite nicely too. The Women’s Champions League is switching to an 18-team format this season, which should mean better matches from the get-go rather than the usual early-round mismatches.
Disney+ gets to come in fresh with this new setup and make themselves the go-to place for European women’s club football.
Is It Worth Your Money?
For current Disney+ subscribers weighing up whether the service justifies its cost, exclusive Champions League coverage adds tangible value to the package.
Women’s football has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, with record attendances and increasing global interest making comprehensive coverage genuinely valuable for football fans.
The current pricing structure – £4.99 with ads, £8.99 standard, £12.99 premium – isn’t inexpensive, but live sports content does help justify these costs.
The key question is whether Disney+ will use this as a foundation for additional sports acquisitions or if this remains a standalone purchase.
Also, it’s important to remember that if you start watching live sports on Disney+, then you need a TV Licence.
One aspect worth monitoring is how Disney+’s streaming infrastructure handles live sports broadcasting.
The platform has generally performed well with pre-recorded content, but live streaming presents different technical challenges. Amazon has occasionally faced criticism for buffering issues during Premier League coverage, so Disney+’s technical performance will be closely watched.
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