The 2019-2020 edition of the UEFA Champions League is set to begin with qualifying matches on June 25. Now is the time to start making plans to watch your favorite club play throughout the year.

The actual league competitions will start on September 17, 2019, and culminate on May 30, 2020, at the final in Istanbul, Turkey. Winning the UEFA Champions League opens many doors for the winning club, including other championship events.

Whether you plan on watching qualifying matches or wait until the main group stages begin, you must consider how you will watch the UEFA Champions League matches. Some games will certainly air on regular television. But people will watch many matches on streaming platforms.

This guide will highlight some of the most popular streaming opportunities for UCL fans, along with some tips for safer streaming.

Turner Broadcasting Owns UEFA Rights in the United States

If you are one of the new, or old, football fans in the US, all UEFA Champions League matches can be found on one of the Turner Broadcasting-owned networks. Or its new streaming service called B/R Live (Bleacher Report Streaming).

In a massive agreement worth over $60 million, Turner purchased the rights formerly owned by Fox Sports. The deal gives Turner exclusive broadcasting rights to the UEFA matches.

Around 20-percent of the UEFA Champions League matches will be broadcasted on their television networks like TNT or TBS. The rest fans can find on the B/R Live streaming service.

If you are serious about the UCL and live in the United States, it appears the B/R Live app will be the best bet for you to catch all the action. Users can download the app to any device or watch streams through their web portal.

UK Viewers Should Consider the BT Sport Pack

The viewing opportunity for those who reside in the UK is very straightforward. The BT Sport Pack is an add-on for customers of BT broadband, BT mobile, or Sky Digital Satellite.

The BT Sport Pack comes at an additional cost but will feature every UEFA Champions League game throughout the 2019-20 season. For true fans in the UK, getting the BT Sport Pack is the best option.

Get a VPN Before Streaming UEFA Champions League Matches

A virtual private network, or VPN, is a must for anyone intending to watch UCL matches while traveling. There are several reasons to get a high-quality VPN - NordVPN - for a better viewing experience.

A VPN provides security while accessing streaming content providers. The convenience of public WiFi for streaming a match on the go is a tempting enough reason for many to risk connecting to unsecured networks.

Good VPNs encrypt any data, traveling to and from your device, making it less vulnerable to hacking from someone stalking the public network you are connected to. Stream with the confidence that your private information is safe by using a VPN.

Internet service providers often look for high-traffic connections and slow them down. This behavior, called bandwidth throttling, is a nuisance to anyone hoping to stream a UEFA Champions League match.

Throttling can reduce your connection speed and cause a lag in the graphics. There may be nothing worse than your screen freezing as a buildup toward the goal happens.

A VPN can help avoid this problem by giving your IP address protection from being detected by your ISP. If your IP address is hidden, there is no way for your ISP to determine that you are streaming content. Watch matches without interruption with a VPN.

Avoid geo-restrictions. If you are traveling abroad and finally have time to catch a UCL match, the last thing you want to see is a regional block preventing you from viewing it.

Regional restrictions are enforced based on the location of your IP address. A VPN can offer the ability to choose a server located in another country and change your IP. This allows you to watch the game as if you were back home, rather than missing out simply because you needed to travel.

Conclusion

The UEFA Champions League is a popular tournament watched by millions worldwide. With over 300 games, there is plenty of live-action to stream during the year.

Choose an appropriate streaming service and get a good VPN provider to enjoy all the UCL matches right up to the finale next year.