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Is the Europa League final 2026 available to watch for free? Freiburg v Aston Villa broadcast plans explained

Radio Times brings you the details about the Europa League final 2026 and whether you can watch for free.

Aston Villa players John McGinn and Morgan Rogers, in claret and blue football kit, celebrate together at Villa Park.

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Published: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at 5:40 pm

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Istanbul holds a special place in European football history. A new chapter will be written there tonight when Aston Villa face Freiburg in the Europa League final at Besiktas Park.

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Unai Emery is searching for his record-extending fifth triumph in the competition but a victory would mean so much more than that for the Birmingham club, who are hoping to end a 30-year wait for a major trophy and win their second European title.

Aston Villa showed exactly why they have been favourites to win the Europa League throughout the 2025/26 campaign by outclassing Nottingham Forest in their all-Premier League semi-final.

Freiburg are chasing history of their own in Istanbul. The Bundesliga outfit are playing in their first European final after getting past Braga in the semis and won't shy away from a firefight as their front-foot style under Julian Schuster has been central to their success.

Last season, and in previous campaigns, all three UEFA finals were made available to watch for free by TNT Sports but will UK viewers be treated to the same this term?

Radio Times brings you the details about the Europa League final 2026 and whether you can watch for free.

Will the Europa League final be available to watch for free?

No. As things stand, there are no confirmed plans for the Europa League final to be available to watch for free.

Despite English teams contesting all three European finals, TNT Sports has made the decision not to make the showpiece games available free of charge, which, according to a report from The Guardian, has frustrated UEFA.

Last season, fans could tune in to watch the Europa League final on YouTube or by signing up for free for discovery+, which was the streaming partner of TNT Sports before the recent switch to HBO Max.

However, TNT Sports are offering viewers the chance to watch all three European finals, including Freiburg v Aston Villa, for no extra cost to all HBO Max subscribers on any Monthly or Saver Plan – starting from Basic with Ads (£4.99/month) and above.

HBO Max is included in some Sky TV packages so it's worth checking as you might already have access to the game.

The Europa League trophy reflects light on a plinth at Villa Park.

Europa League trophy. (Photo by Alex Livesey - AVFC/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)

Watch the Europa League final 2026 on TV and live stream

The Europa League final 2026 will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.

All three European finals, including the Europa League decider, will be available for no extra cost to all HBO Max subscribers on any Monthly or Saver Plan – starting from Basic with Ads (£4.99/month) and above.

There are multiple ways to get TNT Sports. If you already have BT Broadband, you can add TNT Sports to your existing contract from just £18 per month. You can add the ‘Big Sport’ package for £40 per month which includes all TNT Sports and 11 Sky Sports channels via a NOW pass.

You can also access TNT Sports via HBO Max and stream directly to your smart TV.

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You can watch the match on TNT Sports via a HBO Max sport pass without signing up to a contract.

Regular subscribers can also stream matches on a variety of devices including laptops, smartphones and tablets via the HBO Max app.

HBO Max is the new streaming home of TNT Sports, showing events including live Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Premiership Rugby, UFC, Boxing and MotoGP. Learn more here: hbomax.com

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Ned Holmes, smiling against a lime green background.

Ned Holmes

Ned is a sports writer at RadioTimes.com. He has covered a host of sports from EFL football, international cricket and golf all the way through to bike polo and triathlon.

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