Why You Can Trust CNET Watch Champions League Soccer: Livestream Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp From Anywhere
The Catalan giants take on the Belgian side in their tournament opener.
Barcelona get their 23/24 UEFA Champions League campaign started today at home against Royal Antwerp, as the Spanish giants look to make up for a disappointing showing in last year's tournament.
Barça crashed out in last season's group stages, but confidence is running high for a better showing in this year's tournament from Xavi's men. The hosts come into this clash off the back of a stunning 5-0 win over Real Betis at the weekend.
Tuesday's match, meanwhile, marks the first time Antwerp have appeared in the group stage of the tournament, with the Belgian champs reaching this phase via the playoffs after defeating AEK Athens 3-1 on aggregate.
Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the every game live wherever you are in the world.
Robert Lewandowski was on target for FC Barcelona in their 5-0 La Liga victory over Real Betis at the weekend.
Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp: When and where?
Barcelona host Royal Antwerp at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. CET local time in Spain (8 p.m. in the UK, 3 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 5 a.m. AEST on Thursday, Sept. 20 in Australia).
How to watch Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view Champions League matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the action -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free -- the equivalent of $6.67 per month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Livestream Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp in the US
American soccer fans can stream every fixture of this season's tournament via Paramount Plus, which has exclusive live English-language broadcast rights in the US for UEFA Champions League matches.
Paramount Plus has two main subscription plans in the US: Essential for $6 per month and Premium for $12 per month. Both offer coverage of the Champions League.
The cheaper Essential option has ads for on-demand streaming and lacks live CBS feeds as well as the ability to download shows to watch offline later. Newcomers to the service can take advantage of a 30-day free trial, while students may qualify for a 25% discount.
Livestream Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp in the UK
Champions League live broadcast rights in the UK are held by TNT Sports (formerly known as BT Sport).
Having been renamed from BT Sports, TNT Sports is offering Champions League matches exclusively live this season to viewers in the UK. You can access TNT Sports in exactly the same way as its predecessor, including via Sky Q as a TV package, as well as the option of streaming online. It costs £30 either way and comes in a package that includes Discovery Plus' library of documentary content.
Livestream Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp games in Canada
If you want to stream UCL games live in Canada, you'll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada. The service has exclusive broadcast rights to the Champions League this season.
A DAZN subscription currently costs CA$30 a month or CA$200 a year and will also give you access to Europa League and EFL Championship soccer, Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis.
As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there's a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs.
Livestream Barcelona vs. Royal Antwerp in Australia
Football fans Down Under can watch UCL matches on streaming service Stan Sport, which has exclusive rights to show the Champions League live in Australia this season.
Stan Sport will set you back AU$10 per month (on top of a AU$10 Stan subscription), but the streaming service is currently offering a seven-day free trial.
A subscription will also give you access to Europa League and Europa Conference League action, as well as international rugby and Formula E.
Quick tips for streaming UEFA Champions League matches using a VPN
- With four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming Champions League games may vary.
- If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
- If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.