ESPN
ESPN is an international, Disney-owned cable sports network. It is primarily known for bringing coverage of some of the world’s biggest sporting events to American audiences.
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Across a number of channels, ESPN provides subscribers with sports in English and Spanish, live events, classic content, and much more.
When it comes to soccer, ESPN could be described as the home of club soccer in the United States. It covers some of the most high-profile soccer competitions from around the world, including one of the most popular soccer leagues in the world, La Liga.
Which soccer events does ESPN show?
ESPN’s soccer coverage is built around its long-term deal with the RFEF to show La Liga matches in the United States. It shows live matches from La Liga, in both English and Spanish, across its ESPN and ESPN2 channels and on its live streaming platform ESPN+.
La Liga is hugely popular among the considerably Spanish-speaking community in the USA, and ESPN is the destination to watch it. On top of that, ESPN also has the right to show matches from Spanish domestic cups, the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España.
ESPN’s soccer coverage is not limited to just Spain. They also show live soccer from England via their deal with the English Football League and the Football Association. The English competitions they cover include the world’s oldest football competition, the FA Cup, and the second-tier EFL Championship, among others.
What’s more, they produce coverage of the German Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2, Belgian Jupiler Pro League and the Dutch Eredivisie.
The best TV packages to get ESPN in the US
In terms of regular TV, ESPN channels can be accessed via a host of cable providers. These include Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox and Sparklight.
Depending on where you are in the US, and who you go with, prices may vary.
If you are already a customer of one of these cable providers, you can watch ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and more right away.
If not, there are some good cable deals out there.
The best price right now seems to be with Xfinity, starting at $20 a month. Sparklight is charging $42 a month, Cox $56 a month, and Spectrum $59.99.
However, many people are ditching the cable TV model altogether, cutting the cord and opting for live streaming. Here’s some more info on that:
Best ESPN Live Streaming Options
The obvious place to start with ESPN and live streaming is the sports giant’s very own dedicated online platform, ESPN+. For just $10.99 per month, soccer fans can watch La Liga, the Bundesliga, the FA Cup and much more.
This is undoubtedly the best value deal for watching soccer on ESPN.
However, if you want to live stream the ESPN channels themselves in real time, and access all of the other sports they have on offer, companies like FuboTV and Sling carry ESPN. These streamers are a little more expensive than an ESPN+ subscription but they are available if you choose.
So, soccer fans in the US can watch some of the biggest games in the sport on ESPN either on cable TV, ESPN+ or another live-streaming platform like FuboTV or Sling.
Can You Watch ESPN Using a VPN?
Fans from around the world can watch live soccer on ESPN with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Via ESPN+, soccer fans can enjoy the biggest games no matter where they are.
Even if you don’t reside in the US, you can access ESPN+ soccer live streams wherever you are, with the help of a VPN.
Assuming you have checked the rules and regulations regarding VPNs where you are, and done your due diligence regarding the best VPN to go with, there’s little stopping you from accessing soccer live streams on ESPN+, wherever you may be.
Best ESPN Soccer Pundits and Commentators
One of the main reasons why ESPN is so popular among soccer fans is its outstanding team of hosts, analysts and announcers. So good is its lineup of broadcasters that even many fans across the pond in the UK follow its podcasts or YouTube content to hear these experts speak.
Across the various ESPN channels, soccer is covered by some of the most insightful and well-respected voices in the game.
Play-by-play announcers like Ian Darke, Jon Champion and Derek Rae describe the action, while the likes of Steve McManaman, Don Hutchison and Sid Lowe provide colour commentary.
In the studio at half-time, you can hear from legends of the game like Steve McManaman, Shaka Hislop and Kasey Keller as they give their analysis from the studio.
Outside of its live matches, ESPN also produces a variety of audio and video content, available across most platforms like Spotify and YouTube. This content often features renowned and popular journalists and soccer experts like Gab Marcotti, Julien Laurens and Nedum Onouha.
Pros and Cons of ESPN soccer
ESPN has a vast portfolio of club soccer available across its cable channels and its live streaming platform, perhaps more than any of its competitors.
It is the home of two of Europe’s four biggest leagues, La Liga and the Bundesliga, as well as other huge domestic leagues like the Eredivisie and the Championship.
On top of that, it provides coverage of top domestic cups in Spain, Germany and even England through the FA Cup.
Perhaps the biggest selling point of soccer on ESPN is its on-air personalities. Nobody can compete with ESPN when it comes to pundits, announcers and hosts.
The only real downside of ESPN when it comes to soccer is that it does not hold the rights to the crown jewel, the English Premier League. However, it’s not alone in that. It’s the hottest property in the sport with all major broadcasters across the world scrambling to secure it.
That aside, ESPN could be described as the home of soccer in the United States.
FAQ: How to watch soccer on ESPN
Q. Can I watch live soccer on ESPN?
A. Yes. ESPN shows a range of some of the biggest soccer competitions in the world, including the English FA Cup, Spanish La Liga and German Bundesliga.
Q. Is ESPN good for soccer?
A. ESPN is a great place for Americans to watch soccer. La Liga, the Bundesliga, the FA Cup, the Eredivisie, the EFL Championship - all of this elite soccer and more is available on ESPN.
Q. How do I watch football on the ESPN app?
A. You can watch football (soccer) on ESPN+, the mobile live-streaming app of ESPN. It can be downloaded to any Apple or Android device, as well as most smart TVs, game consoles and even Oculus Go.
Q. How much is ESPN Plus soccer?
A. ESPN+ costs $10.99 a month. For that, you can watch soccer involving teams like Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich on a multitude of devices via live streaming.