How to watch Euro 2016 from anywhere in the world
Chris
Chris, a UK-born media connoisseur, is an expert in watching international TV. Known as "The Global Screen Wanderer", he has travelled extensively across the globe with long stints away from home. With over 10 years of experience he has become the go-to guru for streaming content from home and abroad.
Euro 2016 is the biggest European football competition but finding a reliable way to watch it in your country can be difficult.
I’ve been searching for the best way to watch Euro 2016 anywhere in the world and found a solution that will let you watch all the matches for free in good quality online.
In this guide I’m going to show you how you can watch every Euro 2016 match without any effort in any country in the world.
Euro 2016 kicks off on June 10th 2016 with an opening game between France and Romania and runs through until July 10th.
Taking place in France across 10 different venues and composing of 24 different teams it will be the pinnacle of European football.
So let’s find out how you can watch Euro 2016 from anywhere in the world.
How to watch Euro 2016 from anywhere in the world
All the Euro 2016 matches will be shown live in the UK on both BBC and ITV. If you’re in the UK you can simply watch on your TV or online on the streaming services BBC iPlayer and ITV Player.
If you’re outside the UK and you try to access either of those online services then you’ll be blocked with a message similar to the one below.
An example of a block message you may see.
The websites know your location and so block you. The great news is you can bypass those blocks and fool the websites into thinking you are in the UK. Rather than getting the block message above you’ll be able to stream all of the Euro 2016 matches regardless of what country you’re in.
To do this you’ll need a service called a VPN or Virtual Private Network. A VPN allows you to virtually reside in another country so when you visit a website it thinks you’re in whatever country you choose to be.
To stream the Euro 2016 football you’ll need a fast VPN service suitable for video and it’ll also need to work with BBC iPlayer and ITV Player. I’ve tested some of the best to see who is most suitable and found IPVanish to be the best but the following three providers are all good options.
Just click one of their names below to visit their site or the green button to visit my recommended provider and sign-up.
A good VPN service will cost you around $6-$10 per month and to watch the entire Euro 2016 competition you’ll only need a 1 month package.
Once you’ve signed up read below to see how to use the VPN service to watch Euro 2016.
How to use the VPN service
It’s best to watch on a Windows PC or Mac computer or laptop as it’s the easiest method. It is possible to watch on a tablet or mobile but you’ll need to have the BBC iPlayer and ITV Player apps installed already so if you’re already outside the UK then stick to computer or laptop use.
Firstly you need to download the software from the VPN provider’s website. Install it and run it. Once run select their UK server option and connect. Once connected just visit either the BBC iPlayer or ITV Player website depending on who is showing the game you want to watch.
Below I’ve put together an example guide using IPVanish but the process is pretty much identical with the two other providers only their software layout looks a little different.
Step-by-Step Guide :
- Download the IPVanish software from the apps section of their website.
- Install and run the software.
- Next to the IPVanish logo and flag change the option from PPTP to OpenVPN (UDP).
- Press Server Selection.
- Press UK Media or Gaming.
UK Media or Gaming
The IPVanish software will take care of connection for you and after about 15-30 seconds it will let you know it has connected.
All you need to do now is visit either BBC iPlayer or ITV Player depending on who is showing the match you want to watch at the time and you’ll be able to watch without issue.
For ITV Player you may need to create an account and give a UK Post Code. You can use any and a quick search of Google will turn up many, a few to try are SW8 3DL, OX10 6SE, TN10 3JR or BN41 2FA.
Troubleshooting :
If you find BBC iPlayer or ITV Player says the match is not available in your country, simply disconnect from your VPN provider and choose another UK location, then reconnect.
You can find out what game is being shown on what website using the schedule below.
Euro 2016 Schedule
All times are BST, for CEST add 1 hour.
Friday 10 June
20.00 (ITV) France v Romania
Saturday 11 June
14.00 (BBC) Albania v Switzerland
17.00 (BBC) Wales v Slovakia
20.00 (ITV) England v Russia
Sunday 12 June
14.00 (ITV) Turkey v Croatia
17.00 (BBC) Poland v Northern Ireland
20.00 (BBC) Germany v Ukraine
Monday 13 June
14.00 (ITV) Spain v Czech Republic
17.00 (BBC) Republic of Ireland v Sweden
20.00 (BBC) Belgium v Italy
Tuesday 14 June
17.00 (ITV) Austria v Hungary
20.00 (BBC) Portugal v Iceland
Wednesday 15 June
14.00 (BBC) Russia v Slovakia
17.00 (ITV) Romania v Switzerland
20.00 (ITV) France v Albania
Thursday 16 June
14.00 (BBC) England v Wales
17.00 (ITV) Ukraine v Northern Ireland
20.00 (ITV) Germany v Poland
Friday 17 June
14.00 (ITV) Italy v Sweden
17.00 (BBC) Czech Republic v Croatia
20.00 (ITV) Spain v Turkey
Saturday 18 June
14.00 (ITV) Belgium v Republic of Ireland
17.00 (BBC) Iceland v Hungary
20.00 (BBC) Portugal v Austria
Sunday 19 June
20.00 (BBC) Romania v Albania
20.00 (BBC) Switzerland v France
Monday 20 June
20.00 (ITV) Russia v Wales
20.00 (ITV) Slovakia v England
Tuesday 21 June
17.00 (BBC) Northern Ireland v Germany
17.00 (BBC) Ukraine v Poland
20.00 (ITV) Croatia v Spain
20.00 (ITV) Czech Republic v Turkey
Wednesday 22 June
17.00 (BBC) Hungary v Portugal
17.00 (BBC) Iceland v Austria
20.00 (ITV) Italy v Republic of Ireland
20.00 (ITV) Sweden v Belgium
Future matches will be updated once it is announced which channel will be showing the games.
