The Best Streaming Services For Watching Live Sports in 2025

Hulu + Live TV features a comprehensive offering of the most popular sports across its more than 95 channels, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA, international soccer, UFC, and more. In addition to games airing on local channels, there are several sporting events to watch regularly on ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, and FS1, just to name a few.

Since Hulu + Live TV also includes the Disney Bundle as part of its monthly subscription price, you'll also gain access to ESPN+ which unlocks additional exclusive sporting events (like UFC and college sports), original programming, and more.

Hulu + Live TV also includes a three-day free trial, so you can test out the service before you use it. It's one of the best ways to watch March Madness games in 2025 as well.

Fubo

Best Variety

Fubo may not be a household name, but it's our pick for the best variety of sporting events to stream. It features more than 55,000 sporting events per year including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA college sports, NASCAR, golf, tennis, boxing, MMA events, and much more. Additionally, international soccer fans can enjoy popular options such as Premier League, LaLiga, UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, Liga MX, and Serie A.

If you're itching for even more sports programming, Fubo also has various sports add-on packages that include extra channels such as NFL Redzone, MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, a number of international sports channels, and many NCAA conference-specific channels.

Peacock

Best For Premier League Soccer and WWE

Since Peacock is owned by parent company NBC Universal, you'll have plenty of sports at your fingertips to stream with this subscription. Premier League soccer, arguably one of the most popular sports worldwide, is widely available to stream on Peacock. With season-long live coverage and exclusive matches available, you'll be able to catch the biggest matches from the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and more.

For fans of WWE, Peacock is a no-brainer as it's the exclusive live streaming home for every WWE premium event including Wrestlemania. But that's not all Peacock has to offer as you'll also be able to catch every NFL Sunday Night Football game as well as Big Ten college basketball.

ESPN+

Best For UFC and College Sports

ESPN+ is the exclusive platform for streaming UFC events including Pay-Per-View (PPV) fights, Fight Nights, and more. While UFC PPV events require an extra $79.99 on top of your ESPN+ subscription, UFC Fight Nights and other events are included at no additional cost. Plus, you can access hundreds of classic fights from the UFC archive.

You'll also find a massive selection of college sports on ESPN+ including more than 6,000 men's and women's sporting events such as football, basketball, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and more, across 26 conferences.

It's important to note that ESPN+ doesn't provide access to popular ESPN network channels like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, and others. If you want to watch SportsCenter or ESPN-exclusive televised sporting events, you'll still need a traditional cable or Live TV streaming subscription.

DirecTV Stream

Best Cable Alternative

DirecTV Stream is the satellite-free offering from DirecTV that anyone can sign up for. This streaming-only option includes everything you'd expect from a cable alternative including local networks and popular sports channels such as ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, NBC Golf, FS1, NBA TV, MLB Network, and the Tennis Channel.

For sports fans specifically, the DirecTV Choice package is the best bang for your buck, providing access over 125 channels, including major nationwide games and a strong selection of regional sporting events based on your location.

For new subscribers, DirecTV Stream has a five-day free trial that lets you test out the service.

Paramount Plus

Best For PGA Golf

Paramount+ offers all the sports content you'd expect from CBS Sports, including NFL on CBS games and every UEFA Champions League soccer match. Along with a library of sports movies and TV shows, Paramount+ provides daily programming from CBS Sports HQ, documentaries, and more.

For golf fans, upgrading to the Paramount+ with Showtime plan is a great option, as it includes everything in the Essential tier and adds access to major PGA Tour events like the Farmers Insurance Open and the Wyndham Championship.

Sports Streaming FAQs

Can You Watch Live Sports For Free?

Yes, you can watch select live sports for free. Although, the type of sport and frequency varies significantly. You can access local channels with a TV antenna and watch many popular sporting events including NFL, MLB, and NBA games, just to name a few, over the air. Streaming services like Sling Freestream also offer ad-supported access to certain live sports.

Which Sports Streaming Services Have Free Trials?

Just about every sports streaming service mentioned above has a free trial you can take advantage of. Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, and Paramount+ all have trials that range from three days to a week. And, if you time it well, you may even be able to watch multiple live sporting events that you're interested in during the free trial period. The only outliers currently without a free trial are Peacock and ESPN+, although the latter is available as part of the Hulu + Live TV free trial.

If you're looking to stream more than just sports, check out our list of the Best Streaming Services With Free Trials in 2025.

Matthew Adler is a Commerce, Features, Guides, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.