Top Streaming Platforms for Live Sports in 2025

Watching sports used to be straightforward. You'd turn on your TV and catch the big game with ease. Nowadays, the landscape of sports streaming has become a complex puzzle. With regional blackouts, additional paywalls, and exclusive rights spread across various services, fans are often left navigating a confusing maze to watch their favorite teams play.

With numerous streaming platforms offering live sports, deciding where to watch and which service to subscribe to can be daunting. Fortunately, we've done the research for you. Below, we present a curated list of the top sports streaming services for live games, matches, and fights, designed to meet the needs of every sports enthusiast.

Hulu + Live TV

Best Streaming Bundle For Sports

Hulu + Live TV offers a robust package with over 95 channels, including major sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA, international soccer, UFC, and more. Beyond local channel broadcasts, you can enjoy a wide array of sporting events on ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, and FS1, among others.

As part of the monthly subscription, Hulu + Live TV includes the Disney Bundle, granting access to Disney+ and ESPN+. ESPN+ enhances your sports viewing with additional exclusive events like UFC and college sports, along with original programming.

Hulu + Live TV also offers a three-day free trial, making it an excellent option to test out before committing. It's particularly great for catching March Madness games in 2025.

Fubo

Best Variety

Fubo stands out for its extensive variety, broadcasting over 55,000 sporting events annually, covering NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA college sports, NASCAR, golf, tennis, boxing, MMA, and more. International soccer fans will appreciate access to leagues like the Premier League, LaLiga, UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, Liga MX, and Serie A.

For those craving even more sports content, Fubo offers various add-on packages with channels like NFL Redzone, MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, and several international and NCAA conference-specific channels.

Peacock

Best For Premier League Soccer and WWE

Peacock, owned by NBC Universal, is your go-to for Premier League soccer and WWE events. With comprehensive season-long coverage and exclusive matches, you can watch top teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal. Additionally, Peacock is the exclusive streaming platform for every WWE premium event, including WrestleMania.

Beyond soccer and wrestling, Peacock streams every NFL Sunday Night Football game and Big Ten college basketball, making it a versatile choice for sports fans.

ESPN+

Best For UFC and College Sports

ESPN+ is the ultimate destination for UFC enthusiasts, offering exclusive streaming of UFC events including Pay-Per-View fights, Fight Nights, and access to hundreds of classic bouts from the UFC archive. While UFC PPV events require an additional fee, Fight Nights and other events are included with your subscription.

College sports fans will also find a treasure trove on ESPN+, with over 6,000 men's and women's events across 26 conferences, covering football, basketball, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and more.

Note that ESPN+ does not include access to traditional ESPN network channels like ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNEWS. For these, you'll still need a cable or live TV streaming subscription.

DirecTV Stream

Best Cable Alternative

DirecTV Stream serves as an excellent cable alternative, offering a satellite-free streaming service that includes local networks and popular sports channels such as ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, NBC Golf, FS1, NBA TV, MLB Network, and the Tennis Channel.

The DirecTV Choice package is particularly appealing for sports fans, providing access to over 125 channels, including major national games and a robust selection of regional sports based on your location. New subscribers can enjoy a five-day free trial to test the service.

Paramount Plus

Best For PGA Golf

Paramount+ brings you all the sports content from CBS Sports, including NFL on CBS games and every UEFA Champions League soccer match. In addition to live sports, you'll find a rich library of sports movies, TV shows, daily programming from CBS Sports HQ, and more.

For golf enthusiasts, the Paramount+ with Showtime plan is highly recommended, as it includes access to major PGA Tour events like the Farmers Insurance Open and the Wyndham Championship, on top of the Essential tier offerings.

Sports Streaming FAQs

Can You Watch Live Sports For Free?

Yes, you can watch select live sports for free, though the availability and variety may be limited. Using a TV antenna, you can access local channels and watch popular sporting events such as NFL, MLB, and NBA games. Streaming services like Sling Freestream also offer ad-supported access to certain live sports.

Which Sports Streaming Services Have Free Trials?

Most of the sports streaming services listed above offer free trials. Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, and Paramount+ provide trials ranging from three days to a week. This can be a great way to watch multiple live sporting events during the trial period. Peacock and ESPN+ currently do not offer standalone free trials, but ESPN+ is available through the Hulu + Live TV free trial.

If you're interested in more than just sports, explore our list of the Best Streaming Services With Free Trials in 2025.