Disney+ Internet Video Streaming Users Get ESPN Sports in the UK
Internet video streaming provider Disney+ has announced that ESPN’s sports TV content has now becoming available to their UK subscribers, as well as in a further 52 other countries (i.e. extending total availability to 100 countries).
The initial offering and content selection will vary by market but should grow to thousands of live events over the next year, including a portfolio of programming such as US sports coverage of the NBA (National Basketball Association) and NHL (National Hockey League) – both starting with the 2026-27 season.
Disney+ subscribers will also have access to ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary collection, a deep library of critically acclaimed films, along with select studio shows, including ESPN FC, ESPN’s global football news and information program. This builds on their sports offering on Disney+ already available in Europe, including the UEFA Women’s Champions League, as well as LALIGA in the UK and Ireland.
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Alisa Bowen, President of Disney+, said:
“Sports and live events are an essential part of our Disney+ content library, and we’re excited to build on the success we’ve already had with sports fans, as we bring more of ESPN to Disney+ subscribers in Europe and APAC. This launch adds to our growing portfolio of local sports rights around the world.”
Just to be clear, existing Disney+ subscribers get access to all of this new ESPN content at no extra cost.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Anyone else expecting a price rise soon?
I think they usually do one around Sept/Oct each year.
I suspect if Mandalorian / Pixar movies dont do well in the box office, it’s a shoe in.
so no more nba in amazon prime then? is it womens laliga or mens?
@sssss: This is another example of the remorseless fragmentation of live sports. For the UK the NBA League Pass gives access to all 1,230 regular‑season games whilst Sky Sports and Amazon Prime Video get curated selection amounting to a few hundred games combined. Then you’ve got Disney+ which owns ESPN, and it’s ESPN from the Disney+ app which will also stream some NBA games internationally – but which do not conflict with Sky or Amazon’s UK‑exclusive packages.
As for LaLiga: Disney+ holds rights to men’s LaLiga, specifically Saturday evening primetime matches until the end of the 2027–28 season with Premier Sports still the main rights holder. For Liga F (women’s LaLiga), DAZN streams this and the app is available on Sky but not Virgin Media.
I’d rather have a price cut and no sports, thanks.
I’d second that. Premium sports content should always be kept as an optional add-on. IMO.
It’s a no brainer, why make people download two apps? Though yes, consumers should have the choice to pay for these exorbitant fees.
I am starting to wonder when Netflix will have its own sports section.
The only sport I am interested in is motor racing, so I doubt there is anything to get me excited and wanting to subscribe to Disney+ again