Analysis: TV football fans risk overspend
August 20, 2026



Millions of football fans could be caught in a costly ‘bundle blindspot’, overpaying by more than £373 (€435) a year on their broadband and TV bundle because they wrongly believe they need to stick with their current provider to watch live sport, reveals new research by Uswitch.com.

With a new football season about to kick off, Uswitch is urging households to check whether their bundle is about to roll out of its fixed term – a moment when prices can jump sharply if you don’t act.


Analysis across the major UK broadband and TV providers shows sport-inclusive ‘triple-play’ bundles (broadband, TV channels and live sports) can cost up to £151 a month once a customer’s 24-month contract has ended.

The same sports content bought separately – standalone broadband plus rolling monthly sports apps – works out at roughly £91 a month for full coverage of both Sky Sports and TNT Sports, or around £58 a month for fans who follow just one sport and want the flexibility to roll off when the season ends.

For many households, though, simply switching to a fresh bundle deal before the old contract lapses works out cheaper than either the out-of-contract rate or a fully decoupled setup – new-customer pricing is often the best value of all.

The gap means out-of-contract bundle customers could be paying on average £31 a month more than they need to for the same sports coverage – over £373 a year – and considerably more for fans on the priciest premium packages.

More than a third (35 per month) of bundle customers wrongly believe they need to stay with their current broadband provider to keep accessing sports channels and streaming. That figure rises to over half (53 per cent) among customers whose bundle already includes sport.

There are signs some fans are already acting on this: searches comparing sports broadband and TV bundles are up 35 per cent on a daily average basis compared with June, with August month-to-date already running 26 per cent ahead of July’s daily rate.

Providers are also enhancing the viewing experience this season: Sky is launching ‘Your Multiview’ on August 21st, letting subscribers watch up to four live sports events side by side on a single screen.

Ernest Doku, Uswitch broadband expert, says: “When a broadband or TV bundle ends, prices can soar, with some premium sports packages climbing past £150 a month. Many fans wrongly believe they must stay with their current provider to keep watching live sport, but switching to standalone broadband and rolling monthly sports apps can deliver the same content for less.”

“That said, bundling can still be the cheapest option for heavy TV viewers who watch multiple sports year-round, and we’re currently seeing some genuinely strong sports bundle deals as providers compete hard for new customers this season. Switching to a new customer deal is a great way to capture those savings without having to unbundle your services.”

“Sport bundles are well priced for new customers right now, and we’re seeing strong deals across the market. Just make sure you know when any introductory pricing ends, and what the ongoing rate will be, before you commit.”

“With the new football season just days before kick-off, now is the perfect time to check your contract status. Reviewing what you actually use and comparing the latest deals could save you hundreds of pounds a year.”