Champions League quarter-finals: How to watch a free Man City vs. Real Madrid live stream from anywhere
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Last week's 1st leg match between these two produced one of the best games of the season so far, and we can't wait to see the conclusion tonight as the two titans of Europe fight for a place in the Champions League semi-finals. Better yet, we can help connect you to a free Man City vs Real Madrid live stream today, no matter where you are in the world.
As mentioned in our regular guide to all the free Champions League live streams for games in every round, there are multiple options for tonight's game in the blue half of Manchester (that article also shows you how to watch this week's other matches for free, too). You can also watch for free in the US via a free trial promo.
If you want to watch any of the free Man City vs. Real Madrid live streams from outside the origin countries listed below, you'll hit a geo-block when you try to watch them. However, this is not the case if you use a VPN (virtual private network), which masks your location to get around region blocks and greatly improves your online security and privacy in general. You can use it for free access to the remaining knockout games and more.
*Australian streaming service Stan includes a 30-day free trial for the required baseline tier (usually $10-$21 a month), but the Stan Sport add-on is billed at $15 immediately for a month's access.
Where to watch Man City vs. Real Madrid free from anywhere
As mentioned in the box above, the Belgian and Irish TV channels are showing the game for free today. But if you're not in those countries, you can still watch by using a VPN to mimic the required country for your viewing device and prevent the website from detecting your location and blocking you.
Don't have one? Right now, there's a fantastic offer on the best VPN we've tested and used for years to stream and protect our online devices. You can save 49% on the usual price of ExpressVPN and get three months for free. If you're unsatisfied, there's a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Still not entirely sure you need one? Take a look at our detailed ExpressVPN review to see why we rate it number 1. Then get stuck in and enjoy this free Champions League live stream.
How to watch Man City vs. Real Madrid live stream with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
- Install it on the device you're using to watch the game.
- Set location required country for streaming service
- Go to RTL Club (Belgium) / Virgin Media 2 (Ireland).
- Create a free account and sign in (if using the Belgian option).
- Enjoy the game today at 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST / 9 p.m. CET / 3 a.m. AWST.
Where to watch Man City vs. Real Madrid in the UK
There's a fair bit of change this season. BT Sport has been renamed TNT Sport and now comes under the Discovery+ service. If you've been accessing it as a part of a BT TV subscription, you might have had an email about the change, but generally, you should be able to carry on as usual.
If you don't have BT Sport/TNT Sport, you can sign up for Discovery Plus Premium (the cheaper tiers don't include live sport) for £29.99 a month. You can also select it as part of a BT broadband bundle.
If the idea of tracking another streaming service grinds your gears, you might prefer the simpler option of adding it to your Amazon Prime membership as an add-on. It's the same £29.99 a month, and you can cancel anytime. You might find watching it through Amazon Prime Video means you can enjoy Champions League live streams across more devices, as app support across TVs, consoles, and streaming sticks is much better for Prime Video than Discovery.
Pro tip: If you want a cheaper option, you might want to try Australia's Stan Sport, as you can subscribe with a UK bank account for less than half what it costs for TNT (we've tested this ourselves). You need a VPN to access the site and Champions League live streams outside Australia. It still works out cheaper, though. More details below. Or, if you just want the occasional free game, check out the latest free broadcasts mentioned above, which can be accessed with a VPN, too.
Where to watch Man City vs. Real Madrid in Australia
The Champions League is a Stan Sport exclusive in Australia and you can watch every game there. So you'll need to sign up for Stan and then add Stan Sport as an add-on. The cheapest setup is $25 a month (for Stan Basic at $10 and Sport at $15). Better yet, it comes with a 30-day free trial first for the baseline tier - you'll still pay $15 for the Sport add-on from the off, though.
Stan Basic only streams in standard definition, but Stan Sport's content will stream in up to 4K, even when paired with this cheapest tier, so you might as well go Basic if you're just getting it for sport. However, if you want to check out the TV shows and movies too, HD is $16 a month/$21 for 4K (then add $15 for Sport). All are on rolling one-month contracts, so there's no long-term commitment.
If you're eying up this option via a VPN as a cheaper alternative to your country's Champions League streaming service, we can confirm it will work. We were able to pay with a UK bank card (tested September 2023) and have full access to the streaming service. You could also use a travel card like Revolut to pay in local currency so you don't get a foreign transaction fee from your bank.
Where to watch Man City vs. Real Madrid in the US
This is where 'soccer' being so far down the rankings of the most popular sports in the USA really pays off for viewers who want to enjoy the most prestigious competition in club football.
You'll find every last Champions League game live streaming on Paramount Plus from just $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year (you wouldn't get two months of Champions League action for that annual price in the UK!). So yes, you can opt for the cheapest Paramount Plus tier and still get the Champions League despite it not having CBS, as the games will run via separate feeds. If you have CBS already, you'll find it airs some games, but nowhere near as many as Paramount Plus.
Can I access Champions League on Paramount Plus with a VPN?
Yes and no. If you set up Paramount Plus while already living in the US and are traveling abroad, and want to keep watching, you're all set. A VPN will indeed let you tune in like you were still in the US.
If you have a non-US subscription, like in the UK, you won't be able to access the US version's content with those same login credentials via a VPN on the app or the US website, as they're essentially different apps and services in each country. Unlike Netflix, which will allow one login to work anywhere via a VPN.
If you're outside the US and want a US account, Paramount Plus has recently made it difficult for outsiders to create one. That's because you'll need a US form of payment, and we've found international currency cards, like Revolut, don't count.
What about PayPal? You'll need to create a US PayPal account, which must be verified by a US mobile phone number. So, if you can get around all this, you can enjoy the best value Champions League live streams in the world.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.