Gone are the days of a TV remote being the only thing standing between you and thousands of sporting events. As the amount of sporting competitions has blown up, so too has the sheer amount of streaming services that are hosting these broadcasts in Australia. But while initially this can be a nightmare for fans to navigate – there’s no need to worry, as Canstar Blue is here to help. Whether it’s a paid service or free-of-charge, find out which sports streaming services are worth checking out with this comprehensive guide.
Sports Streaming Services in Australia
The sports streaming services – both paid and free – available in Australia include:
- Kayo
- Stan Sport
- Foxtel Now
- Optus Sport
- beIN Sports
- Sports Flick
- DAZN
- 10play
- 7plus
- 9now
- SBS On Demand
Paid sports streaming services
Kayo
Undeniably the top dog of Australian sports streaming services, Kayo has established itself as a go-to option with a full suite of sports available to be streamed live or on-demand, as well as playback tools and features. Boasting coverage of almost all mainstream sports, and a surprising selection of the less-publicised ones, fans are unlikely to be bored by Kayo’s catalogue of entertainment, with sports including the likes of the NBA, NFL, AFL, NRL, and a whole spate of other sports to enjoy.
Along with this in-depth coverage, Kayo provides a vast array of talk-shows, documentaries, and variety segments for the sporting fans that just can’t get enough. Featuring ESPN’s frontrunner documentary series 30 for 30, as well as their nightly SportsCenter, and a host of other shows catered to most sports under the sun, fans will have a tough time finding something not to watch.
- Subscription cost: 7-day free trial and then $25 per month for a One subscription or $35 for a Basic subscription.
Stream Sports with Kayo
Love your sports? Check out what Kayo has on offer, from basketball to cricket, motorsports and soccer. Click ‘go to site’ for more details.
Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kayo One Subscription
min. cost $25 over 1 month |
1 | $25 | Go To Site | |
Basic Subscription
min. cost $30 over 1 month |
2 | $35 | Go To Site | |
^^View important information |
Stan Sport
One of the new players on the block, Stan Sport has been steadfast in accruing sports for its catalogue. Starting off with just rugby coverage, including the Bledisloe Cup, Super Rugby, and various Test series, the platform worked hard to also snag the rights of Wimbledon, the French Open, as well as the UEFA football tournaments.
Stan Sport is the perfect option for someone who is already subscribed to Stan, and is a fan of either rugby, tennis, or football. However, if you’re looking for a broad range of sports, or don’t already subscribe to Stan, it might be worth letting this one go through to the keeper.
- Subscription cost: $15 add-on to a Stan subscription (minimum of $25 per month)
- Free trial duration: 7 days
Foxtel Now
While not technically a dedicated sports streaming service, Foxtel Now has an impressive selection of sports coverage. However, along with the fact that you can’t separately purchase the Sports pack, the total cost for a month is $54, which may turn away a few sports fans. The Essentials pack includes Lifestyle, Comedy, Reality, Drama, News, and Entertainment shows, while the Sports pack includes channels such as ESPN and Fox Sports.
The depth of these packs is impressive, however for the viewer looking just for sports, Foxtel might be one to skip. $54 per month is a steep price to pay to only watch a select few channels, but could be worth the cost if you’re looking for something to watch during the off-season.
- Subscription cost: $54 per month for Essentials and Sports packs
Optus Sport
This is one for the football fans. Optus Sport has been the headline broadcaster of the world game for a few years now after they snagged the rights from Fox Sports. Despite some hiccups during the FIFA World Cup in Russia, Optus Sport has worked to establish itself as a reliable service for football fans.
While losing the rights to the suite of UEFA club tournaments in mid-2021, Optus Sport boasts coverage of the English Premier League, Copa America, the Euros, as well as the Japanese League and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Optus Sport is a must-have for the casual football fan, given its breadth of year-round content.
- Subscription cost: $14.99 per month, $29.99 for three months, or $99.99 for one year, or free with select Optus phone or internet plans.
- Free trial duration: None
beIN Sports
The forgotten service of sports streaming, beIN Sports has found a niche for itself among the big players. BeIN Sports arguably has the wood over Stan Sport, however, featuring the Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1, as well as the EFL Championship and Copa Libertadores. For tennis, fans can watch the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, and the Davis Cup, and rugby fans can watch the Champions Cup, Challenge Cup, and the Guinness Six Nations live.
- Subscription cost: $14.99 per month
- Free trial duration: 7 days
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DAZN
Hop into the squared circle with DAZN, the premier boxing streaming service available to Australians. You can find an array of live fights, replays, classic bouts, and a whole host of documentary content for boxing fanatics. Alongside the comprehensive boxing catalogue, DAZN is streaming a refined selection of football content, including the UEFA Women’s Champion League. The service is a must-have at its low price for any serious boxing fans.
- Subscription cost: $2.99 per month
- Free trial: None
Free sports streaming services
10play
Kicking off the free services, 10play has a relatively sound catalogue of sports. The frontrunner of its catalogue, MotoGP and Formula One, are able to be streamed live and on-demand. Joining these highly sought-after competitions is the Bellator MMA competition, and more recently, thanks to a Paramount+ takeover deal, Australian men’s and women’s football, including the A-League and W-League. As far as free streaming services go, 10play has done well to establish itself, and even compete with some paid services.
7plus
7plus has made waves for snagging the rights to the Olympic Games, with every event available on the platform’s array of channels. Alongside the Olympics, 7plus has a huge catalogue of other sports, including fishing programs, racing highlights and the annual Melbourne Cup. Where 7plus shines is in its variety sports programming, with plenty of curated panel shows and documentaries focused on educating you on your favourite sport, or a sport you don’t know enough about.
9now
9now is still streaming a solid selection of sports on its site, playing host to the full suite of Australian rugby league content, including State of Origin and the women’s NRL. Golf fans will be pleased to see that 9now also boasts coverage of the Masters and Presidents Cup, alongside the ATP Cup and Australian Open, in addition to the full host of Australian and international netball competitions.
SBS On Demand
Rounding out the free sports streaming services, SBS On Demand has a slightly underpowered sporting catalogue, despite being the go-to for any football content in days past. Its main drawcard is its coverage of the Tour De France, in which it has daily stage updates and full replays of the days’ action. Alongside its cycling content, the WNBA and Australian NBL can be viewed on SBS On Demand, with highlights and mini-games giving the short-on-time fan an easy way to watch some basketball. Replays of major tennis matches, as well as W Series Racing and motorsports round out an interesting SBS On Demand catalogue.
What is the best sports streaming service?
With so many options available, it can be hard to decide if there’s a clear winner, or if the competition ends in a tie. For those who enjoy following multiple sports codes – or are just diehard sports fans – Kayo may be the best option, with no shortage of competitions and leagues to keep you entertained, while those who only follow one sport or team may find something like beIN SPORTS or Optus Sports a better option.
Regardless of what sports you’re into, it’s important to look into all of your options when it comes to streaming platforms, particularly when it comes to if you can cancel at any time, or how many screens you can share with if you live in a house of sports fans, as that might make the decision easier, or at least the cost, easier to swallow. But with no shortage of free options available either, it’s a good time to be a sports fan.
Sign up to Disney+ Australia
Need something for the off-season? Sign up to Disney+! There are two plan options to choose from – a monthly subscription, or prepay for a year. Both plans include the same features, with unlimited downloads and the ability to stream on up to four screens at the same time. This table includes links to a referral partner.
Brand | Subscription Type | No. of Screens/same time viewing | Advertised Cost^^/month or year | |
---|---|---|---|---|
min. cost $13.99 over one month |
4 | $13.99 |
Get Deal | |
min. cost $139.99 over one year |
4 | $139.99 |
Get Deal | |
^^View important information |
Photo Credits: adriaticfoto/shutterstock.com
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