How to watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad: Free live stream in the UK as Eberechi Eze plays final game

Watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad tonight as the London side begin their controversial European campaign with a Conference League play-off, and we have all the details here on live streams and TV broadcasts globally.

Palace had by rights qualified for the main draw of the Europa League, the second tier of European club competition, thanks to their FA Cup triumph in May. However, the multi-club ownership model has seen them denied entry by UEFA and knocked down to the third tier, the Conference League.

They don't even get to go straight in, instead facing a two-leg play-off against Norwegian side Fredrikstad to make it into the competition proper.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad for FREE in the UK

You can watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad for free in the UK, where Channel 5 has picked up the rights.

TV viewers will find the game on Channel 5, while the Palace vs Fredrikstad free live stream is at channel5.com and the 5 app.

Coverage is geo-restricted but a good VPN will unblock things if you are abroad at the moment – more on that below.

Watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad from anywhere

Away from home for the game? That doesn't mean you have to miss out on watching Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad. All you need is a VPN, a handy a piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions and unblock your usual streaming services when abroad. It's also brilliant for your general internet security.

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International options

The game is being shown on VG+ in Fredrikstad's home of Norway, as well as Sportklub in Croatia and Slovenia, but there are no other international broadcast options, so nothing in the US, Canada, or Australia.

FIXTURES: Interactive 2025/26 calendar for all competitions

Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstadt: Match Preview

Crystal Palace weren't supposed to be here. Their FA Cup victory ought to have landed them among the 32 teams in the Europa League, but here they are, scrapping over two legs just to get into the Conference League.

That's because of the multi-club ownership model of the group that owns Palace, and also Lyon, with UEFA taking exception to both teams being in the Europa League. They tried to argue the clubs were run entirely separately, co-owner John Textor even stepped down from his role at Lyon, and they appealed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But to no avail.

There will be a feeling of injustice and a slight snarl as Oliver Glasner's men commence their European campaign, and it might just drive them on to great things this season. Whisper it, but it may even be a blessing in disguise. The Europa League would have come with more prestige and more cash, but the Conference League is less stacked with quality and is arguably winnable for a team like Palace.

That itself would come with Europa League access, not to mention another trophy after the Eagles lifted their first major piece of silverware with the FA Cup in May and followed it up back at Wembley with the Community Shield earlier this month.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Just to get into the Conference League, Palace must get past Fredrikstad, the team currently sitting 8th in Norway's domestic league.

They appear well placed to do so, with a superior squad that still includes - for now at least - Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi, with both players set to start tonight despite continually being linked with moves away from Selhurst Park.

"Many of you were surprised he [Eze] and Marc [Guehi] started against Chelsea, you may be surprised they start tomorrow, but they are committed to the team," Glasner said in a press conference on Wednesday.

"They will play a crucial part for as long as they are here, they are committed to the team. If they leave, they want to leave as the guys who gave 100% to Crystal Palace."

FourFourTwo's prediction

Crystal Palace 3-0 Fredrikstad

We predict a comfortable win for Oliver Glasner's men, who'll take the opening leg seriously and will have a point to prove as they look to make their mark on European football.