If you’re outside of the UK and want to watch MOTD, unfortunately, BBC iPlayer won’t work. You’ll run into an error that says “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues.”
This error is coming up because the BBC doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content outside the UK and unfortunately, that means you can’t watch MOTD when abroad.
Fortunately, there’s a simple way to fix this. You need a UK IP address and the easiest way to get one is with a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month).
In this article, I will explain how you can use a VPN to unblock BBC iPlayer and reliably watch MOTD outside of the UK.
See also:
- BBC iPlayer not working with VPN? Here’s how I FIXED that!
- How to watch ITV Hub abroad (outside the UK) 2021
- Bet365 not working with VPN? Here’s how to fix that!
How to watch Match Of The Day abroad: Quick Fix
To watch MOTD abroad, you need access to BBC iPlayer and if you’re outside of the UK, BBC iPlayer’s content will be blocked.
To get around these blocks you need a VPN that is compatible with BBC iPlayer and that has reliable servers based in the UK. We recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month)
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) has fast servers all over the world, and most importantly, it has measures in place that will stop all of its IP addresses from being blocked by BBC iPlayer.
To watch MOTD outside of the UK all you need to do is follow these simple steps:
Total Time: 3 minutes
Create a new account with ExpressVPN ($6.67/month)
If you want to watch BBC iPlayer when you’re outside the UK you need a good VPN.
Download and install the new VPN app
When you have a VPN that work’s with BBC iPlayer, you need to download and install the app on your device. All good VPNs have Windows and Mac apps and are available on the iPhone and Android app stores too.
Select a server based in the UK
Now that you have your VPN installed, you need to connect to a server in the UK to reroute your device’s internet traffic through a UK IP address.
Create an account with BBC iPlayer
If you haven’t already, you need to sign up for a BBC account. Take a look at our How to watch BBC iPlayer abroad article if you need help doing this.
Watch MOTD anywhere in the world
That’s it. You now have everything you need to watch Match Of The Day from anywhere in the world.
Why do I need a VPN to watch MOTD outside the UK?
The BBC is a UK based broadcaster and although it’s a public broadcasting service, it still has to answer to licencing and copyright agreements.
The BBC doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content outside of the UK and to avoid copyright and licensing issues it blocks users outside of the UK from accessing its content. This is why you’re running into the “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK. Sorry, it’s due to rights issues,” error when trying to stream MOTD.
To unblock MOTD you need to fool BBC iPlayer into thinking you’re trying to watch the service from within the UK. To do that you need a UK IP address. This is what VPNs allow you to do. The best VPNs like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) can provide you with a UK IP address and this allows you to stream MOTD outside of the UK reliably.

How does BBC iPlayer block my connection?
The way BBC blocks your connection is all to do with your IP address.
Whenever you go online, you’re given a unique IP address. These are similar to area codes for landline phones in that they contain information about where you’re when you connect to the internet.
The BBC scans IP addresses that connect to the iPlayer service, and if it finds that you’re connecting from outside the UK it blocks you from accessing the content. You will be able to go on the website, but as soon as you try and play MOTD it won’t work.
To get around these blocks you need a VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) that will give you a UK IP address that will fool BBC iPlayer into thinking you’re trying to watch MOTD from within the UK.
How does a VPN work?
A VPN will allow you to have an anonymous internet connection and it can give you an IP address in a country of your choosing.
When using a VPN, your internet data is encrypted and rerouted through a server of your choosing. When your data is rerouted, you’re provided with an IP address based in the country where you chose the server. This makes it look like you’re connecting to the internet from that country.
So to watch MOTD all you need to do is select a UK based server and you’ll be given a UK IP address that will allow you to access all of the content on BBC iPlayer when you’re outside the UK.

Will any VPN work?
No, not every VPN will work. This is because the BBC iPlayer tries to prevent VPN connections from accessing its service. The good news is that the BBC doesn’t have the ability to block an entire VPN, only the IP addresses it provides. The bad news is that lesser VPNs don’t have endless IP addresses and inevitably the BBC identifies and blocks all of them, meaning your VPN will no longer work and you won’t be able to watch MOTD abroad.
The BBC blocks VPN IP addresses using three main techniques:
- Streaming services constantly monitor for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks. This test is basic. But cheaper VPNs will fail it, meaning your connection isn’t fully secure and will be blacklisted. Good VPNs such as ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) won’t fail this basic test.
- There are GeoIP databases that collect IP information and verify the IP address you’re connecting from. If your VPN is using an IP address in one of these databases, you won’t be able to stream MOTD from outside the UK.
- The BBC makes its own IP checks. If the channel detects a large number of connections coming from the same IP address simultaneously, they know that that is an IP address provided by a VPN and they will blacklist that IP address.
This means selecting the right VPN is very important. If you want to reliably watch MOTD from anywhere in the world you need a VPN that can stay one step ahead of the BBC’s blocking techniques. Lesser VPNs don’t have measures in place to get around the BBC’s checks and this can result in you not being able to watch MOTD outside of the UK and you could lose money subscribing to a VPN that won’t work.
This is why we recommend ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month). These VPNs have measures in place to stay one step ahead of the BBC’s blocking techniques. When the BBC identifies and blocks an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month), these VPNs close that IP and open a new one. This cat and mouse game allows you to watch MOTD reliably from anywhere in the world.
The best VPNs for watching MOTD outside of the UK
1. ExpressVPN
The fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2022

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
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- Expensive
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2. Private Internet Access
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- Fast and reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 48 server locations
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3. NordVPN
A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Pro
- Fast servers
- No logs
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 6-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
SPECIAL OFFER – $3.49/month
4. Ivacy
The great budget VPN option

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- Dedicated streaming servers
- 5-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 5 devices
- Sometimes runs slow
- Occasionally blocked by streaming sites
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5. CyberGhost

Pros
- 1-day free trial
- Reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 7-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Expensive
- Average speed scores
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