How to Watch Sky Sports Without Sky: Cheapest Options Explained -

You don’t need a Sky contract to watch Sky Sports. If you’re fed up with 18- or 24-month commitments and eye-watering bills, there are cheaper, flexible ways to watch football, F1, cricket, golf and more without locking yourself in.

I’ve used NOW on and off for years myself, mainly dipping in for Formula 1 weekends or a run of Premier League games, and it’s still the best legal option for most people who don’t want Sky.

Here’s what actually works right now.

Sky Sports on NOW

NOW (formerly NOW TV) is owned by Sky and lets you stream Sky Sports without a long contract. It’s pay-as-you-go, meaning you can watch for a day or a month, then cancel.

If you’re a casual sports viewer, this is usually the cheapest legitimate option.

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What is NOW?

Think of NOW as a contract-free version of Sky. You don’t get a satellite dish or recording box, but you do get access to Sky’s channels via apps.

You can stream NOW on:
• Smart TVs
• Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku & Chromecast
• Games consoles
• Phones, tablets & web browsers

Sports, Entertainment and Cinema are all sold separately, so you only pay for what you actually watch.

Is there a free Sky Sports trial on NOW?

No. Unlike the Entertainment and Cinema passes, NOW does not offer free trials for Sky Sports. Anyone claiming otherwise is out of date.

NOW Sky Sports Day Pass

A Sky Sports Day Pass currently costs £11.99–£14.99, depending on promotions.

This is ideal if:
• You only want to watch one match or race
• There’s a big sporting weekend
• You rarely watch sport

You get access to all Sky Sports channels for 24 hours from activation.

By default, NOW allows one stream at a time. If you want multiple devices or full HD, you’ll need NOW Boost, which costs extra.

NOW Sky Sports Month Pass

If you watch Sky Sports regularly, the Month Pass makes more sense.

• Standard price: £34.99 per month
• Cancel anytime at full price
• Discounts are common

NOW frequently runs offers bringing the price down to:
• £28 per month for 6 months (contracted)
• £19.99–£25 per month via targeted email offers

Important to know:
• Discounted deals usually lock you in for a minimum term
• Full-price month passes remain rolling and cancellable
• Month passes start immediately when you buy them

You’ll often get one free month of Boost or Ultra Boost, but it auto-renews at £6–£9 per month unless you cancel.

How many Sky Sports channels do you get?

A NOW Sports Pass includes all Sky Sports channels, including:

Sky Sports Main Event
Sky Sports Premier League
Sky Sports Football
Sky Sports Cricket
Sky Sports Golf
Sky Sports F1
Sky Sports Tennis
Sky Sports Arena
Sky Sports Action
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports Mix
Sky Sports Racing

This is identical to Sky’s own Sports package.

Personalised NOW discounts

If you’ve had NOW before, check your account and emails. Many of the best offers aren’t public.

Log into NOW and look under My Offers. You’ll only see these if marketing emails are enabled.

Is NOW always cheaper than Sky?

Not always.

If you watch Sky Sports every month of the year, a discounted Sky TV bundle can work out cheaper — but that usually means signing a 24-month contract.

NOW wins if:
• You want flexibility
• You watch sport seasonally
• You don’t want to negotiate with Sky every year

Most smart televisions will have an app that will give you access to NOW. Failing that, you can purchase an Amazon Fire Stick and use that.

Sky Sports on Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers Sky Sports via its TV boxes and Stream service.

With Virgin Media Stream, you can add Sky Sports for £34.99 per month with no long-term commitment, but you’ll usually need to pay an upfront setup fee.

It’s convenient if you’re already with Virgin, but rarely the cheapest option.

Sky Sports direct from Sky

Sky still offers Sky Sports, but the best prices usually require:
• A 24-month contract
• Bundling with other Sky services

Typical prices:
• Existing customers: ~£20 per month (with recontract)
• New customers: ~£35 per month

There are currently no cut-price single-sport deals (such as football-only or F1-only).

Other sports broadcasters worth considering

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video occasionally shows live sport, mainly Premier League fixtures and selected events.

Prime costs:
• £8.99 per month or £95 per year
• £5.99 per month for Prime Video only
• 30-day free trial available

It’s good value when games are on — but it’s not a Sky Sports replacement.

TNT Sports

TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) shows:
• Champions League football (exclusive)
• Selected Premier League games
• Rugby and cricket

Monthly passes are available and typically cost around £25 per month, cancellable.

What about IPTV?

I’ll be brief.

Watching Sky Sports via unofficial IPTV services is illegal in the UK when it involves pirated subscriptions. Kodi itself is legal, but loading unauthorised streams isn’t.

Aside from legality, IPTV often suffers from:
• Poor quality
• Buffering during big matches
• Zero consumer protection

If the service disappears, your money is gone. It’s not worth the hassle.

So, what’s the cheapest way overall?

For most people in December 2025:

• Occasional viewing → NOW Sky Sports Day Pass
• Short-term binge → Discounted NOW Month Pass
• All-year sport fans → Sky or Virgin (only if you accept contracts)

If flexibility matters, NOW still wins.

FAQs

Does NOW TV offer a weekly sports pass?

No. This was discontinued back in 2020.

What happened to Eurosport Player?

Eurosport Player was retired and you can no longer subscribe.

Is there a Sky Sports free trial available?

Some of the observant amongst you (or at least previous users) will know that NOW TV does offer a free 7-day trial for their Cinema and Entertainment passes. Unfortunately, that doesn’t extend to sport.