It all comes down to this for Sheffield United and Sunderland, as the two teams face off at Wembley today for the right to play in the English Premier League next season.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if the match isn’t available where you are.
With today’s game widely considered the most valuable single soccer match in the world — thanks to the projected revenue increase of over $360 million for the winning club — the pressure is on both teams to deliver a performance worthy of the stakes.
Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United had been a strong contender for automatic promotion for much of the campaign, but had to settle for a playoff spot after a late dip in form. Nevertheless, it comfortably advanced through its semifinal against Bristol City, securing an emphatic 6-0 aggregate victory.
Régis Le Bris’ Sunderland, meanwhile, needed a dramatic extra-time goal from Daniel Ballard to edge past Coventry City at the Stadium of Light in its semifinal, securing a place in today’s winner-takes-all showdown.
Sheffield United take on Sunderland on Saturday, May 24, at Wembley Stadium in north London, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. BST local time. That makes it a 10 a.m. ET or 7 a.m. PT start in the US and Canada, and a 12 a.m. AEST kickoff in Australia.
How to watch Sheffield United vs. Sunderland in the US without cable
American soccer fans can stream this crucial fixture on CBS Sports Golazo Network via Paramount Plus, which has exclusive live English-language broadcast rights in the US for the Championship playoffs.
How to watch the Championship Playoff final from anywhere with a VPN
If you’re traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the Championship action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.
It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds, and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.
However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN usage to access region-specific content. If you’re considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform’s terms of service to ensure compliance.
If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider’s installation instructions, ensuring you’re connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial.
Livestream Sheffield United vs. Sunderland in the UK
Today’s playoff final is exclusive to Sky Sports, showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and UHD channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account and a Now Sports membership to stream the game.
Livestream Sheffield United vs. Sunderland in Canada
If you want to stream the Championship Playoff final live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada. The service has exclusive broadcast rights to the English Football League this season.
Livestream Sunderland vs. Coventry in Australia
Footy fans down under can watch the Championship playoffs on BeIn Sports, which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for the EFL. This match is set to be shown on BeIn Sports 3 and BeIn Sports Connect.
Quick tips for streaming the playoffs using a VPN
- With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EFL matches may vary.
- If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the «search for city or country» option.
- If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
