Thought streaming services like Disney+ were your ticket to avoiding the TV Licence fee? Think again.
The lines between traditional TV and streaming are blurring faster than ever, and Disney+’s latest move into live sports means many subscribers will soon find themselves legally required to pay up – depending on what they watch.
Disney+’s recent acquisition of exclusive rights to the UEFA Women’s Champions League is the latest example of this trend.
Following in Netflix’s footsteps with live events, this move means many Disney+ subscribers will suddenly find themselves needing a TV Licence – something that might come as a surprise to streaming-only households who thought they were exempt.
Why Disney+ Now Requires a TV Licence (Sometimes)
For years, Disney+ subscribers have enjoyed Marvel shows, Star Wars content and Disney classics without worrying about the TV Licence fee.
But with Disney+ set to stream all 75 matches of the UEFA Women’s Champions League live from October 2025, the rules change significantly.
Under UK law, you need a TV Licence to watch or record any live TV broadcasts, regardless of the platform or device you’re using. This includes live sporting events streamed on services like Disney+.
When we reached out to the BBC for clarification on this matter last year regarding Netflix’s live events, they confirmed that viewers who intend to watch any live events on streaming platforms, including sports matches, will indeed need to have a valid TV Licence.
The same principle applies to Disney+’s upcoming UEFA Women’s Champions League coverage. If you plan to tune in live to watch the matches as they happen, you’ll need to pay the TV Licence fee (currently £174.50 per year).
It’s worth noting that this only applies to the live broadcasts. If you wait to watch the matches on-demand after they’ve aired, you won’t need a licence – but of course, for many football fans, watching the action unfold live is half the appeal.
The Bigger Picture: Streaming and the TV Licence
This development is part of a broader trend we’re seeing across streaming platforms. Netflix has already ventured into live events with boxing matches like Paul vs Tyson and live comedy specials.
Amazon’s Prime Video has been streaming live Premier League football and tennis tournaments for several years.
Now Disney+ joins the club with what’s arguably its most significant move yet into UK live sports broadcasting (a few years ago, they also streamed a live Elton John concert – and they may stream more live concerts in the future – so those require a TV Licence as well).
For viewers who’ve abandoned traditional TV in favour of streaming services specifically to avoid the licence fee, these updates create a new complication.
The clear divide that once existed between traditional broadcast TV (requiring a licence) and on-demand streaming (exempt from licensing – other than BBC iPlayer) is becoming increasingly blurred.
Could All Streaming Require a Licence Soon?
The Disney+ UEFA announcement comes during ongoing discussions about the future of the TV Licence itself.
Earlier this year, reports emerged that the UK government is exploring plans that could potentially force all streaming-only households to pay the BBC licence fee – regardless of whether they watch live content.
Under these proposals, any household subscribing to services like Netflix, Disney+ or Prime Video would need to pay the TV Licence fee, even if they never watch BBC content or live TV at all.
While these plans are still in the early stages – with any major changes unlikely before the BBC’s current charter ends in December 2027 – they signal a potential dramatic shift in how British TV is funded.
For now, though, the rule remains the same: if you’re watching live content, you need a licence; if you’re only watching on-demand, you don’t (unless it’s on BBC iPlayer).
What If I Don’t Pay?
It’s worth remembering that evading the TV Licence fee is a criminal offence in the UK. Those who don’t pay can face a £1,000 fine and potentially end up in court or, in rare cases, even jail.
TV Licensing, the body responsible for collecting the fee, has sophisticated detection methods and regularly conducts enforcement visits to unlicensed addresses.
If you’re planning to watch these UEFA matches live on Disney+ and don’t currently have a licence, you should consider purchasing one before the tournament begins.
For streaming-only households who’ve previously avoided the licence fee, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stay exempt as services like Disney+ expand into live broadcasting.
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It’s going to be interesting to see what the viewing figures are for live events for UK subscribers. Having to pay 3 x their sub for some, to a service they are not using just for live sport actually defies belief and is an embarrassment for the UK to have such a tax.
This must be music to that dinosaur BBC’s ears, it’s exactly what they want, no blurred lines, their tax for all.
this is just scaremongering
> For years, Disney+ subscribers have enjoyed Marvel shows, Star Wars content and Disney classics without worrying about the TV Licence fee.
and they can continue to do so. just don’t watch the live football.