BT Sport makes UEFA Europa League and Champions League finals free to all
BT Sport is making its coverage of the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final and UEFA Europa League Final available for all to watch for free in the UK.
The broadcaster has partnered with Youtube to provide viewers with UHD streams of the matches, as well as for the first time making them available in high-frame-rate.
The games can be viewed via the BT Sport App for mobile or TV, on the BT Sport YouTube channel and on Virgin.
Ben McOwen Wilson, manager director of YouTube UK, said: “We’re proud and excited to partner BT Sport to bring the two biggest matches in European club football to British viewers for the sixth year running, including our third all-English final in this year’s UEFA Champions League!
“With restrictions lifting, no doubt many fans will be looking forward to meeting with friends and family to watch the beautiful game on the big screen,” continued McOwen Wilson. “This year BT and YouTube will deliver the highest quality streams in Ultra High Definition and for the first time high frame rate (60fps) to allow all our viewers to have the best possible free viewing experience, wherever they are.”
McOwen Wilson concluded: “Football is in this country’s DNA and the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League finals have always attracted record-breaking viewing figures on the platform. YouTube’s committed to ensuring that digital Britain builds back better and after a tough year for sports fans, we expect this year to be one of the biggest yet.”
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “After a difficult year for everyone, it’s exciting to be approaching the end of the football season with three English teams making it through to the European finals plus the option of watching it with family and friends in person. Anyone can watch the final, on BT Sport or for free online or on YouTube, or by downloading the BT Sport App and trying out Match Day Experience features such as the enhanced player and Watch Together.”
Both finals will be available for free at www.btsport.com/final, on the BT Sport YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/btsport, via the BT Sport App for small and large screen devices, including PlayStation, Xbox, Samsung smart TVs and Amazon Fire. The finals will also be available for anyone to watch on Virgin channel 532 (HD) and 533 (UHD).
The broadcaster’s live coverage of the UEFA Europa League Final – Manchester United versus Villarreal – from Gdansk will begin at 6.30pm on Wednesday 26 May on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4K UHD, hosted by Jake Humphrey and the team including Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves, Paul Scholes, Robbie Savage and Ian Darke.
BT Sport’s live coverage of the all-English UEFA Champions League Final, Man City versus Chelsea, will begin on Friday 28 May with a live preview show beginning at 8pm on BT Sport 1 hosted by Lynsey Hipgrave with guests Michael Owen, Gianfranco Zola and Owen Hargreaves.
Coverage of the final will begin at 6pm on Saturday 29 May on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4K UHD, hosted by Gary Lineker and the team including Rio Ferdinand, Joleon Lescott, Joe Cole, Steve McManaman, Glenn Hoddle, Darren Fletcher and Des Kelly.