How to watch Benfica vs Real Madrid live: free streams, kickoff times, and devices
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Real Madrid heads to Lisbon on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, to take on Benfica at Estádio da Luz in a key Champions League league phase clash. The reigning champions are currently third in the table and edging closer to the round of 16. Benfica, sitting 29th, is in urgent need of points, trailing the qualification line by just two.
Madrid arrives in top form, riding a three-game winning streak. Benfica, meanwhile, will be hoping their latest domestic victory sparks a turnaround, especially since their track record against Spanish teams is less than ideal: just 3 wins in their last 25 UEFA encounters. Still, they hold a 2–1 edge in official head-to-head meetings with Real, including a legendary 5–3 win in the 1962 European Cup Final.
Where to watch Benfica vs Real Madrid – streaming options by country
The Benfica vs Real Madrid match is a highly anticipated Champions League fixture. Below is a complete overview of the official broadcasters and streaming services where you can watch the game live in various countries.
| Country | Streaming service | Price |
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports | £30.99/month |
| United States | Paramount+, TUDN | From $5.99/month |
| Australia | Stan Sport | AU$15/month (add-on) |
| Canada | DAZN | CA$29.99/month |
| Germany | DAZN | €44.99/month |
| Spain | Movistar Plus+ | Varies by plan |
| Netherlands | Ziggo Sport Totaal | €14.95/month |
How to watch Benfica vs Real Madrid for free
This Champions League match is streaming for free on several services, such as TV8 in Italy, Digi Sport 1 in Romania, and BTV Action in Bulgaria. However, these streams are geo-restricted, so you'll need a VPN to access them if you're in another country.
- Choose a reliable VPN with servers in a country with a free broadcast, like Italy. We recommend NordVPN, which is known for its fast speeds and often has great deals.
- Download and install the VPN application on your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
- Open the VPN app and connect to a server located in Italy.
- Navigate to the TV8 website or download its app.
- Find the live stream for the Benfica vs Real Madrid match.
Benfica vs Real Madrid live coverage
Free Champions League streams this week
Some broadcasters worldwide show selected Champions League matches for free. However, these free streams are geo-restricted, meaning they’re only available inside the broadcaster’s country. These services don't stream every match, and the commentary is often not in English. You can use a virtual private network (VPN) to access these free streams from abroad by changing your virtual location to the broadcaster's country.
For the Benfica vs Real Madrid match, you can watch it for free on several international broadcasters. For example, viewers in Romania can tune into Digi Sport 1 for a Romanian-language stream. In Italy, the match is available on TV8 with Italian commentary. Other options include BTV Action in Bulgaria (in Bulgarian) and Qazaqstan TV in Kazakhstan (in Kazakh).
| Athletic Club | Sporting | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| Liverpool | Qarabag FK | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | RTE 2 (Ireland) | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Barcelona | Copenhagen | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | Digi Sport 3 (Romania) | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Monaco | Juventus | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| Ajax | Olympiacos | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | Mega TV (Greece) | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| PSG | Newcastle | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | RTS 2 via Play RTS (Switzerland) | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Dortmund | Inter | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | Digi Sport 2 (Romania), | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Napoli | Chelsea | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | Virgin Media Two (Ireland), | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | Tottenham | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| Atlético Madrid | Bodø/Glimt | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| Leverkusen | Villarreal | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| Arsenal | Kairat | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| Pafos | Slavia Praha | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| Man City | Galatasaray | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | TRT 1 (Turkey) | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Club Brugge | Marseille | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | Club-RTL via RTL Play (Belgium), | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Benfica | Real Madrid | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | Digi Sport 1 (Romania), | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | Atalanta | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | 2026-01-28 21:00 | |
| PSV | Bayern | UEFA Champions League | 2026-01-28 20:00 | CBS Sports Golazo Network (USA), | 2026-01-28 21:00 |
Best VPNs to watch Benfica vs Real Madrid
We've tested the following VPNs to ensure they are up to the task of streaming the Champions League. Each one provides fast speeds, reliable unblocking capabilities, and stable HD playback for both international free streams and paid services.
These are our top recommendations for watching Benfica vs Real Madrid, especially if you want to access free streams on channels like TV8 in Italy or Digi Sport 1 in Romania.
- NordVPN – best overall for streaming. It offers extremely fast speeds and excellent unblocking for sports broadcasters, ensuring smooth HD streaming with no buffering on its servers in Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, and Kazakhstan.
- Surfshark – best budget option. This affordable VPN provides unlimited simultaneous connections and reliably accesses geo-restricted Champions League streams.
- Proton VPN – best for privacy-focused users. It combines strong security with solid global streaming performance and good speeds for watching Champions League matches securely.
How to watch Benfica vs Real Madrid on different devices
Most official Champions League broadcasters support computers, smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs, but VPN support varies by device.
- Computers (Windows, macOS, Linux): this is the most reliable option. Streaming services work in a web browser, and VPN apps run natively.
- Mobile devices (iOS and Android): streaming and VPN apps are fully supported, making this setup simple and portable.
- Android TV, Google TV, and Amazon Fire TV: these platforms offer the smoothest experience because many VPNs have native apps.
- Apple TV (tvOS 17+): several VPN apps are available, allowing you to stream directly on the device.
- Samsung Smart TVs (Tizen) and LG Smart TVs (webOS): VPN apps aren’t supported, so you’ll need a workaround.
- Roku, PlayStation, and Xbox: VPN apps aren’t supported. Use an HDMI cable from a laptop, cast from a VPN-enabled phone, or set up the VPN on your router.
For the easiest setup, we recommend watching on a computer or mobile device with a VPN enabled, as both streaming services and VPN apps work without extra steps.
Match preview and prediction: Benfica vs Real Madrid
Benfica comes into this Champions League matchup in solid domestic form, holding third place in Liga Portugal. But Europe has told a different story, just two wins and five losses so far in the league phase. Real Madrid, by contrast, are thriving on both fronts: second in La Liga and third in the Champions League table with 15 points from seven matches.
José Mourinho has Benfica pressing high in a 4-2-3-1 setup, aiming to disrupt opponents early and hit on quick transitions. Real Madrid, under Xabi Alonso, take a more controlled approach. With a 4-3-3 system, they average 58% possession and use smooth midfield rotations to wear teams down.
Key players? For Benfica, it’s striker Vangelis Pavlidis, who leads with an xG of 13.35. For Madrid, all eyes are on Kylian Mbappé, already at 14.2 xG and still climbing. Historically, Benfica has the edge in official matchups, though those wins date back to the 1960s.
Team news and expected lineups
Benfica go into the match with a few injuries but no new issues. Richard Ríos (shoulder) and Dodi Lukébakio (ankle) are both out, along with long-term absentees Alexander Bah and Manu Silva.
Their likely starting XI includes Anatoliy Trubin in goal, with Dedić, Araújo, Otamendi, and Dahl in defense. Aursnes and Barreiro should hold midfield, with Schjelderup, Sudakov, and Prestianni behind striker Vangelis Pavlidis.
Real Madrid face a more serious injury list, especially in defense. Carvajal, Militão, Mendy, Alexander-Arnold, and Camavinga are all out, and Rüdiger remains a doubt.
Madrid's expected lineup has Courtois in goal, possibly behind a makeshift backline of Valverde, Asencio, Alaba, and Carreras. Tchouaméni, Ceballos, and Bellingham are set to start in midfield, with Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior supporting Mbappé, if he’s fit.
Head-to-head stats
Benfica and Real Madrid have met 3 times in official UEFA competitions, with all encounters occurring in the 1960s.
- Overall Record: 2 Benfica wins, 1 Real Madrid win, 0draws
- 05/02/1962: Benfica 5-3 Real Madrid (European Cup Final)
- 02/24/1965: Benfica 5-1 Real Madrid (European Cup)
- 03/17/1965: Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica (European Cup)
Benfica holds the historical advantage over Real Madrid, most notably defeating them in the 1962 European Cup final to win the title.
Prediction
This match presents a classic tactical clash between Benfica's high-intensity press and Real Madrid's possession-based control. The decisive factor will likely be Real Madrid's severe injury crisis, which has decimated their defensive line. Benfica's strategy under José Mourinho is built to exploit such vulnerabilities through forced errors and rapid transitions. While Madrid possesses superior quality in midfield and attack with players like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé, their ability to withstand Benfica's pressure with a makeshift backline is a major concern.
Benfica 1-1 Real Madrid
