Disney+ to stream live European football each weekend in major schedule shake-up

Disney+ has announced a major shake-up in its schedule, including the addition of live European football. From Saturday (August 16), the streamer will kick off its live weekend coverage of the Spanish La Liga.

This means some of the biggest names in club football will be shown on the platform, including the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. The first game to air on Disney+ will see Valencia host Real Sociedad at the iconic Mestalla Stadium, with kick off set for 8:30pm UK time.

La Liga games are available with a regular Disney+ subscription, which starts at £4.99 per month on a rolling monthly plan that can be cancelled at any time. Customers can also get the equivalent of two months free by paying for a year upfront on the Standard or Premium plan.

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This plan offers higher video quality up to 4K UHD and HDR, and 12 months for the price of 10. Production and commentary during La Liga games will be provided by ESPN, with a line-up of familiar voices including Real Madrid and Liverpool legend Steve McManaman leading the team.

He features alongside former Arsenal and West Ham midfielder Stewart Robson, while broadcasters Ian Darke and Rob Palmer will alternate play-by-play duties throughout the season.

Disney’s La Liga coverage is part of a new three-year deal and comes as the streamer also becomes the home of the UEFA Women’s Champions League across Europe from October. However, football fans hoping to tune into the new Premier League season will need to secure a Sky Sports subscription, with the broadcaster increasing its coverage to 215 games from this season.

According to Disney+, La Liga is the most-followed international football league in the UK. This is boosted by high-profile signings of English players, including Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who both play for Real Madrid, while Marcus Rashford kicks off his loan spell at Barcelona.

Popular Spanish players also add to the league’s allure, with homegrown talents including Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Club) and Alex Baena (Atlético Madrid). However, fans should keep in mind that Disney+ will not broadcast every La Liga fixture, with only select Saturday night games selected for broadcast.

Karl Holmes, General Manager, Disney+ EMEA, said: “At Disney, we celebrate storytelling that moves and excites. From the cinematic scale of FX’s Alien: Earth to the sharp wit of Only Murders in the Building and the action-packed suspense of Lucasfilm’s Andor, our customers know they’re in for something special.

Now, with LALIGA joining the line-up, they can experience that same excitement on the pitch with weekly matches featuring legendary clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona and stars like Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold as part of their Disney+ subscription.”

Alongside La Liga, the Disney+ library spans everything from documentaries to critically acclaimed drama, comedy to classic animation. Also on the way are new sci-fi series Alien: Earth (August 13), the second instalment of National Geographic docuseries Limitless: Live Better Now with Chris Hemsworth (August 15) and season five of Only Murders in the Building (September 9).