Watching Sport in Germany
Germany is one of the handful of markets where DAZN is a genuine full service with real domestic rights rather than a boxing add-on — and at the same time it runs the most generous free tier DAZN offers anywhere. Add a listed-events law that keeps the biggest events free by statute, and Germany ends up with an unusually honest choice: pay properly, or watch a surprising amount for nothing.
Two corrections worth having before you buy anything.
First, Eurosport has not disappeared. It closed in the UK and Ireland in
February 2025 — in Germany the channel still exists as a brand, and its
cycling coverage is advertised as live on Eurosport and HBO Max. Second, the
German home of the Champions League is genuinely unsettled: DAZN's German
storefront lists the Champions League among its rights, while Sky
Deutschland's own sports catalogue does not mention it at all. We could not
confirm which of the two is current, so check both before subscribing.
What you can watch free in Germany
This is a stronger position than most countries, and it comes from two separate places: a public broadcaster funded by the household fee, and a media law that stops pay channels from locking up the biggest events.
The rule is § 13 of the Medienstaatsvertrag. Encrypted, paid coverage of a Grossereignis is only lawful if the broadcaster — or someone else — also makes it possible for the event to be shown free-to-air on reasonable terms. A channel only counts as generally accessible if it can actually be received in more than two-thirds of German households, which is the concrete test behind the promise. The list can only be changed by a state treaty of all sixteen Länder, so it is stable.
| What is free | Where |
|---|---|
| Summer and Winter Olympics | Free by law under § 13 MStV |
| Euro and World Championship football | Every match involving Germany, plus the opening match, the semi-finals and the final regardless of who is playing |
| All Germany internationals | Home and away, including friendlies |
| DFB-Pokal | The semi-finals and the final |
| European club finals | The Champions League and Europa League finals where a German club is involved |
| Selected live league football | DAZN's free tier — selected LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Saudi Pro League matches each week, plus re-lives |
| Champions League highlights | DAZN's free tier — Germany only |
| Women's Champions League | DAZN's free tier, live |
| Free linear channels | DAZN FAST, DAZN FAST+ and DAZN Rise, free around the clock |
ARD and ZDF are the reason the law matters in practice. Both are free to stream, funded by the broadcasting fee rather than by you at the point of watching, and they are where the protected events land. One detail that trips people up: DAZN's free option is not a trial month. DAZN says so itself — it is a permanent free tier, and the only thing you need is an account.
The main services, and what they cost
| Service | Carries | From | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| WOW (Sky Deutschland streaming) | All Friday and Saturday Bundesliga matches, all 2. Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, Premier League, Formula 1, NFL, tennis, golf, MotoGP, WRC, NHL, NBA | €44.99/month with a one-month minimum. On a 12-month term, €29.99/month for the first year then €44.99. A Young price (18–26) is €24.99 then €44.99 | No sports trial |
| DAZN | Bundesliga, Champions League, Serie A, LaLiga, Ligue 1, 3. Liga, Frauen-Bundesliga, UFC, NFL Game Pass, NHL.tv, college sport, FIFA+ | From €24.99/month on DAZN's own German page. Third-party listings report Mobile €9.99, Super Sports €24.99 and Unlimited €44.99 — we could not confirm those on DAZN itself | No, but a permanent free tier |
| Sky Deutschland (satellite or cable) | The same core package as WOW | A "Probemonat" is advertised from €9.98 — that is a cheap first month, not a free trial | No |
| NFL Game Pass via DAZN | Every NFL game, out of market | €199.99 for the season, or €229.99 for Ultimate; €19.99 to €23.99 per week | No |
| ARD and ZDF | Everything the law protects, plus athletics and other live sport | Free — funded by the broadcasting fee | Not applicable |
Who shows what
| Competition | Paid | Free |
|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | Both Sky/WOW and DAZN list it. Sky advertises all Friday and Saturday matches; DAZN's German page lists the Bundesliga without saying which slots | None beyond the free-tier highlights |
| 2. Bundesliga | WOW | None |
| Champions League | DAZN's German storefront lists it; Sky's German sports catalogue does not. Third-party reporting puts 186 matches inside DAZN's Unlimited tier — treat that as unconfirmed | Highlights on DAZN's free tier |
| DFB-Pokal | WOW | Semi-finals and final by law |
| Premier League | WOW | None |
| Formula 1 | Sky and WOW | None in Germany |
The cheapest legal routes
- Start with free, and mean it. A DAZN account with no subscription gets you live LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Saudi Pro League matches every week. That is more than most paid services elsewhere give away.
- The big tournaments. Germany and the Olympics are free by law. Watch them on ARD and ZDF and pay nothing at all.
- A full Bundesliga season. WOW's 12-month Live-Sport term at €29.99/month for the first year is the cheapest route to a full season — but you are signing up for twelve months, and the price rises to €44.99 after the first year.
- Young viewers. If you are 18 to 26, WOW's Young price is the same package for €24.99 in year one.
- One league only. If you only want football that is not the Bundesliga, DAZN's cheaper reported tiers are worth asking about directly — DAZN does not publish the full tier structure on its German landing page.
- NFL. A weekly Game Pass costs €19.99 and beats a season pass if you only care about a month of it.
Is DAZN a real service in Germany, or just the global tier?
It is a full local service here. DAZN has domestic rights in Germany, with Bundesliga, Serie A, LaLiga, Ligue 1, 3. Liga, NFL Game Pass and NHL.tv, from about €24.99 a month. Germany is also where DAZN runs its most generous free tier.
Which sports events must be free to air in Germany?
Under § 13 of the Medienstaatsvertrag: the summer and winter Olympics; every match involving Germany at a European or World Championship plus the opening match, the semi-finals and the final; the semi-finals and final of the DFB-Pokal; all home and away Germany internationals; and the Champions League and Europa League finals where a German club is involved.
Does Sky still have the Champions League in Germany?
We could not confirm it either way. Sky Deutschland's own sports catalogue does not list the Champions League, while DAZN's German storefront does. Third-party reporting points to 186 Champions League matches inside a DAZN tier, but we have not verified that on DAZN's own pages.
Is there a free trial for German sports streaming?
No. WOW's seven-day Premium trial is attached to a 12-month Films & Series plan rather than the sport package, and Sky's "Probemonat" from €9.98 is a discounted first month, not a free one. DAZN states plainly that its free option is not a trial month.
Has Eurosport closed in Germany?
No. Eurosport closed in the UK and Ireland only, on 28 February 2025. In Germany the brand is still active and its cycling coverage is advertised as live on Eurosport and HBO Max. Warner Bros. Discovery's corporate restructuring makes this the most volatile part of the German market, so re-check before subscribing.
What is the cheapest way to watch the Bundesliga?
WOW on a 12-month Live-Sport term at €29.99 a month for the first year, or €24.99 if you are between 18 and 26. Both rise to €44.99 after the first year, so read the full term before signing.
Where to go next
DAZN by country Free live streams Which free trials still exist Watching sport in the UK