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A VPN has become essential for streaming football online. But should you get a VPN to watch the Champions League, World Cup or Premier League? And which are the best VPNs for streaming the biggest games? FourFourTwo is here to offer some guidance.
First, you might be asking: what exactly is a VPN? It stands for Virtual Private Network, a type of software you can install on your computer, phone, or even a smart TV to help keep your online activity secure. It works by hiding your real location and encrypting your internet connection (there’s more going on behind the scenes, but that’s the basic idea).
VPNs serve a wide range of purposes, from safeguarding journalists and dissidents operating under restrictive governments to simply giving you extra peace of mind when using public Wi-Fi.
We’re lucky enough to share an office with TechRadar and Tom's Guide, who know everything there is to know about VPNs. They’ve tested hundreds of them, and we’ll be leaning on their expertise as we take a look at some of the key benefits of VPNs when it comes to streaming football online.
Benefits of a VPN for streaming football
Use a VPN to watch your usual football streams from anywhere
The biggest advantage of a VPN for those looking to stream TV is that it allows you to do so from anywhere.
What if you’re on holiday when the 2026 World Cup is on this summer or you can't stream the Champions League final because of a work trip? A VPN will allow you to access your usual coverage from another country, so you never have to miss a game - whether it's a crucial knockout match for England or a Group G dead-rubber in the early hours.
Pretty much all streaming platforms these days are geo-restricted – in other words, they work only in the host country. For example, Sky Sports, which shows the majority of Premier League games in the UK and Ireland, works only in those countries. If you try to watch from abroad, you’ll find yourself geo-blocked.
A VPN gets around this by re-routing your connection through a remote server, which replaces your device’s IP address (a sort of unique digital passport). The best VPN providers will have server options in pretty much every country in the world – often multiple servers – so when you connect through one of them, it will appear that you are in that country.
Heading on holiday or spending time away from your home country doesn’t mean you have to be locked out of the services you subscribe to and pay for. It’s a good way to make sure you’re getting full value out of your subscriptions.
See also ► Football fixtures 2025/26: Interactive calendar for every competition
Use a VPN to improve picture quality
Another advantage of a VPN is improved streaming quality for live football.
Your internet provider may advertise high speeds, but in reality performance is often reduced by throttling, especially during peak times or when streaming in high definition.
A VPN masks your activity by routing your connection through its servers, making it harder for your ISP to throttle your speed based on what you are doing.
Use a VPN to stay safe while streaming
While streaming capabilities are a key component of VPNs, internet security is at their core.
Who doesn’t want to stay safe online? And who doesn’t worry about that in the modern age? There are other things that can re-write your IP address, but VPNs are considered key tools in cyber security, keeping your data private and protecting you from the malign forces out there.
VPNs encrypt the data that's transferred between your device and the internet, which makes it impossible for it to be spied upon and taken advantage of. When it comes to log-ins and payment details, you can keep these under lock and key. This is doubly important when stepping out into the risky world of public WiFi or mobile connections.
See also ► Premier League TV guide: Streams, channels and fixtures this week
Best VPNs for watching football
In a nutshell: TechRadar and Tom's Guide recommend NordVPN. It is one of the most affordable and ranks among the top VPN's for unblocking streaming services.
NordVPN
Our pals at both TechRadar and Tom's Guide rate NordVPN as the best VPN money can buy right now. NordVPN has consistently come out on top in deep testing from the teams on both sites for a long time now – specifically for streaming but also overall.
“We’re confident that virtually anyone can sign up for Nord and get what they need,” say TechRadar. “It’s easy to use, has robust security, seriously fast speeds for downloads and gaming, flawless unblocking (it’s our top choice for streaming), plus a host of compelling extra features.”
Surfshark
Both TechRadar and Tom’s Guide rate Surfshark as the best budget VPN out there. It might fall short of NordVPN on certain features, but manages to sneak past it on price.
“Surfshark is the perfect choice if you're on a budget but don’t want to compromise on quality,” say Tom’s Guide.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
