The Champions League quarter-finals are here, and you don't need to pay a penny to watch the best club football on the planet. Whether you're in the US, the UK, or anywhere else in the world, there are genuine free and free-trial options that get you every minute of the action. Here's exactly how to watch without spending money.
Quick Answer: How to Watch UCL Quarter-Finals Free
The fastest free path depends on where you live:
- United States: CBS Sports app (free, no account needed for select matches) or a Paramount+ free trial
- United Kingdom: TNT Sports via Discovery+ free trial (7 days)
- Germany/Austria: DAZN free trial (30 days for new users)
- Canada: DAZN free trial
Don't have a subscription yet? Every major streaming platform that carries the UCL offers a free trial. Sign up, watch the quarter-finals, cancel before you're charged. It's completely legal and takes under five minutes.
United States: Your Best Free Options
Option 1 — CBS Sports App (Truly Free)
CBS Sports streams select Champions League matches completely free — no subscription, no credit card. Open the CBS Sports app or visit CBSSports.com, navigate to the Soccer section, and look for the free live game. Typically one match per matchday is unlocked for everyone.
Catch: You won't always get the specific match you want. If your preferred game isn't the "free" selection, you'll need one of the options below.
Option 2 — Paramount+ Free Trial (Best Pick)
Paramount+ is the home of Champions League in the US, carrying every single UCL match live. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial on both the Essential and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME tiers.
Steps:
- Go to paramountplus.com
- Click "Try It Free"
- Choose the Essential plan ($5.99/month after trial) — it includes UCL
- Watch all quarter-final first legs (April 8–9) and second legs (April 15–16) within the trial window
- Cancel before day 7 if you don't want to continue
The 7-day trial comfortably covers both legs of all four quarter-final ties.
Option 3 — Fubo TV Free Trial (7 Days)
Fubo TV carries CBS Sports Network and streams UCL matches. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial. It's slightly more expensive after the trial ($79.99/month) but the free week gives you full access.
Option 4 — DirecTV Stream Free Trial (5 Days)
DirecTV Stream offers a 5-day free trial and includes CBS/Paramount content in its packages. Tight on time, but enough for the first legs.
- Paramount+ trial covers ALL 8 QF matches across both weeks
- CBS Sports app is 100% free with no signup required for select games
- Fubo trial includes DVR so you can rewatch
- Multiple trial options mean you have backups if one doesn't work
- Paramount+ Essential has ads during non-CBS content (not during matches)
- CBS Sports free match may not be the one you want
- Free trials require a credit card (remember to cancel)
- Fubo is expensive after the trial period ends
United Kingdom: How to Watch UCL Quarter-Finals Free
TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport, now under Discovery/Warner Bros.) holds exclusive UK rights to the Champions League. It is not free-to-air in the UK — there is no BBC or ITV broadcast.
Your best UK free option:
Discovery+ Free Trial (7 Days) TNT Sports is bundled with Discovery+. New UK subscribers get a 7-day free trial at discoveryplus.com/uk. This gives you access to all TNT Sports channels and every UCL quarter-final match live.
Alternatively, if you have Sky or Virgin Media, you may already have TNT Sports in your bundle.
Rest of World: Country-by-Country Guide
- Germany & Austria: DAZN — 30-day free trial for new users, carries all UCL matches
- Spain: Movistar+ (no free trial) and RTVE (some matches free on public TV)
- France: Canal+ (free trial available) and RMC Sport
- Italy: Amazon Prime Video and Sky Sport — Amazon Prime has a 30-day trial
- Australia: Stan Sport — 7-day free trial via Stan
- Brazil: HBO Max (Max) — 7-day free trial available
- India: Sony LIV — free tier available with ads for some matches
VPN: Watch From Abroad
If you're traveling or living outside your home country, a VPN lets you access your normal streaming service as if you were home.
Recommended approach: connect to a server in your home country, then log in to your regular UCL streaming service. This works for Paramount+ (US), TNT Sports/Discovery+ (UK), and DAZN (Germany, Canada).
Important: Only use a VPN to access services you're already paying for or trialing. Using a VPN to access content you're not entitled to may breach the platform's terms of service.
Full Quarter-Final Schedule (April 2026)
Tips for the Best Free Viewing Experience
Start your trial the right day. A 7-day Paramount+ trial started on April 8 runs through April 15 — that covers the first legs comfortably. For second legs too, start your trial no earlier than April 9.
Use the app, not the browser. Streaming quality is consistently better on the Paramount+ or CBS Sports app (iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV) than in a desktop browser.
Set a calendar reminder to cancel. This is the most important step if you don't want to be charged. Set a reminder for day 6 of your trial.
Use a hotspot if your home internet is slow. Mobile 5G often delivers smoother 1080p streams than congested home broadband during peak evening hours.
What If I Miss the Live Match?
All platforms listed above offer on-demand replays within hours of the final whistle. Paramount+ full-match replays are usually available by midnight ET on match day. If you're avoiding spoilers, airplane mode and a news blackout are your friends.
Bottom Line
The cheapest way to watch all eight UCL quarter-final matches: Paramount+ free trial (US) or Discovery+ free trial (UK). Start the trial on April 8 and you'll cover everything through April 15 for free. Set a reminder to cancel, and enjoy one of the best fortnights in European football without paying a thing.
