If you’re outside the UK and your Sky Sports subscription isn’t working, it’s probably because the VPN you’re using has been blocked.
Simply put, Sky Sports UK has got wise to the IP address your VPN has given you and has blocked it.
The good news is, that doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to watch Sky Sports UK abroad again.
In this article we’ll explain why your Sky Sports subscription isn’t working with a VPN anymore, and how to fix it.
You’ll be watching the latest football matches and championship games on Sky Sports with a VPN in no time.
See also:
- Sky Go not working with VPN? Here’s how to FIX that! (September 2023)
- How to watch 3pm Kick-offs in the UK (September 2023)
Sky Sports UK not working with VPN: Fixes
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Delete your cookies
Cookies are small files designed to speed up and improve your web browsing experience, but they could be causing problems when it comes to streaming Sky Sports with a VPN outside the UK.
Cookies are quietly collected in the background when you’re browsing the internet, and although they aren’t malicious, they can contain nuggets of information including your location.
If the location stored in your Cookies is different to the location your VPN is set for, Sky Sports will be able to tell you’re not actually in the UK, and will block your IP address.
Deleting your Cookies should be the first thing you try when it comes to troubleshooting your VPN issues with Sky Sports. It’s also one of the easiest things you can do, too.
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Change to a different server
If your VPN connection still isn’t working, it could be because Sky Sports is blocking the IP address your VPN is using. However, there is a simple fix to this problem, too.
If your IP address is being blocked, you can change to a different server on your VPN, and get a fresh IP address to use instead.
Sky Sports may not have your new IP address blocked, so you’ll be able to stream with your VPN again.
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Change to a different protocol
A protocol is best described as the way a VPN reroutes your data through its servers.
Sometimes streaming services such as Sky Sports won’t work with certain protocols, so if your VPN allows it, changing your protocol could be a way of getting Sky Sports UK to start working with your VPN again.
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Update your VPN
Like any other piece of software, VPNs are constantly updated, and a Sky Sports streaming error could be caused by using an outdated version of your VPN.
It’s possible your issue is a known problem, and something that’s already been fixed in a later patch.
Make sure you’re using the latest version of your VPN, as that may solace the problem.
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Upgrade to a VPN that works with Sky Sports
If you’ve come this far without the issue improving, chances are you’ll need a new VPN. If your streaming problems are persisting, it’s probably because all the IP addresses available with your VPN have been blocked by Sky Sports.
Lower level VPNs – like the one you’re probably using – aren’t able to stay one step ahead of streaming services like Sky Sports, but more premium VPNs can.
VPN services like ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) are able to detect when IP addresses get blocked by Sky Sports, and can automatically open new, fresh ones that haven’t been blocked.
The result? You can reliably watch Sky Sports, while ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) plays a game of IP address cat-and-mouse behind the scenes.
Why is Sky Sports not working with a VPN?
Like streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix, Sky Sports pays for the rights to broadcast sports and other content within a certain territory – but nowhere else.
Sky Sports only has the rights to broadcast its content in the UK.
When you’re using a VPN to stream Sky Sports content from outside the UK, Sky Sports runs the risk of falling foul of copyright laws and other licensing issues – so it’s in Sky Sports’ interest to block VPNs.
How does Sky Sports block my VPN?
Streaming services like Sky Sports are able to blacklist VPNs – and it’s a problem you may face when using everything from Netflix to Hulu with a VPN.
The way streaming services detect and block VPNs is pretty simple.
- Almost all streaming services will monitor for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks, and although this isn’t a difficult test it’s one cheaper VPNs are likely to fail. Not only does this mean your VPN isn’t secure, it also means your IP address isn’t going to work.
- A GeoIP address collects IP information to verify the IP address you’re connecting from. If your IP address is listed on one of these databases, Sky Sports will block your connection.
- Streaming services like Sky Sports can monitor where their incoming connections are coming from. If there are a large number of inbound connections from the same IP address simultaneously, that IP address will be blacklisted and blocked.
What to do if Sky Sport blocks your VPN
If your VPN isn’t working with Sky Sports there are a handful of things you should try first.
- Delete Cookies
- Change to a different server
- Try a different VPN protocol
- Update your VPN
If none of the above work, it’s likely you’re using a lower tier VPN that’s susceptible to being blocked by Sky Sports..
Fortunately , premium VPNs such as ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) are able to stay one step ahead of Sky Sports’ VPN blocks.
If the streaming service shuts down an IP provided by ExpressVPN ($6.66/month), the VPN will close that IP address and open a new unblocked one. The result? You can keep streaming Sky Sports with a VPN from outside the UK without any interruptions.
The best VPNs for Sky Sports
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2023
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
Special Offer for you!
Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month ExpressVPN plan. That’s 15 months in total for the price of 12.
Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
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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
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
Special Offer – Save 83%
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. NordVPN 🥉
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 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 for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.
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4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
Special Offer – 7-day FREE trial!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
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
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
Take advantage of CyberGhost’s 1-day FREE TRIAL!
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
(30-day money-back guarantee)
