How to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal: streaming options, TV coverage, and prediction
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London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal face off in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The match takes place at Stamford Bridge, with a spot in the final on the line for the winner of the two-legged tie. This clash adds another chapter to a rivalry spanning over 200 matches. While Arsenal holds the historical head-to-head advantage, including three FA Cup final victories over Chelsea, the Blues have also claimed silverware against the Gunners, winning the 2007 League Cup final and the 2019 Europa League final.
The match kicks off at 8:00 PM GMT, which is 9:00 PM CET, 3:00 PM ET, 12:00 PM PT, and 1:30 AM IST on January 15.
Chelsea and Arsenal have met more than 200 times, with Arsenal holding a slight historical lead (84 wins to 66). Recent years have been more balanced: Arsenal’s 5–0 win in April 2024 stands out, while Chelsea fans remember big results like the 6–0 victory in 2014 and the 4–1 Europa League final win in 2019.
Arsenal has often had the edge in FA Cup finals between the two, but this match is about the Carabao Cup, a trophy Chelsea last won in 2015. With both sides chasing silverware, this semi-final first leg should be a tight and intense London derby.
Where to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal – streaming options by country
Below is a complete overview of the official broadcasters for the Chelsea vs Arsenal Carabao Cup match in various countries.
| Country | Streaming service | Price |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports | From £20/month |
| United States | Paramount+ | From $5.99/month |
| Australia | beIN Sports | From AU$15.99/month |
| Canada | DAZN | From CA$24.99/month |
| Germany | Sky Deutschland | From €20/month |
| Spain | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
| Netherlands | Viaplay | €17.99/month |
| Romania | Digi Sport 1 | Free |
How to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal for free
This FA Cup match is available to stream for free on Digi Sport 1 in Romania, but the stream is geo-restricted, so you'll need a virtual private network (VPN) to watch it from another country.
- Choose a reliable VPN with servers in Romania. We recommend NordVPN for its fast speeds and reliable connections
- Download and install the VPN application on your preferred device
- Open the app and connect to a server located in Romania
- Navigate to the Digi Sport 1 website or open its application
- Find the Chelsea vs Arsenal match in the live sports schedule
- Click on the stream and enjoy watching the match for free
Free FA Cup streams this week
Some broadcasters around the world show selected FA Cup matches for free. However, these free streams are often geo-restricted, meaning they’re only available inside the broadcaster’s country. They do not stream every match, and the commentary is usually not in English. A VPN lets you access these free streams from anywhere by changing your virtual location to the country with the broadcast.
For this match, you can catch the action for free on Digi Sport 1 in Romania. This stream will feature commentary in Romanian.
Available free streams
| Matchup | Matchup date | Streaming service | Country | Stream language |
| Chelsea vs Arsenal | 2026-01-14 | Digi Sport 1 | Romania | Romanian |
Best VPNs to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal
We've tested these VPNs extensively for streaming major football competitions like the FA Cup. They all provide fast speeds, reliable unblocking, and stable HD playback for international services. These are our top recommendations for watching Chelsea vs Arsenal, especially if you want to access the free stream on Digi Sport 1.
- NordVPN – best overall for streaming: It offers extremely fast speeds and excellent unblocking for sports broadcasters, including servers in Romania to ensure smooth, buffer-free HD streaming of the match.
- Surfshark – best budget option: This affordable VPN allows unlimited simultaneous connections and provides reliable access to geo-restricted streams for the FA Cup.
- Proton VPN – best for privacy-focused users: It combines strong security with solid global streaming performance and good speeds, making it a great choice for watching the match securely.
How to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal on different devices
Watching the Carabao Cup semi-final on January 14, 2026 is usually straightforward, but compatibility depends on two things:
- whether the streaming service is supported on your device
- whether your VPN works on that device if the stream is geo-restricted
Most modern devices handle streaming apps easily, but VPN support varies more widely. Below is a breakdown of how to watch smoothly depending on what you own.
Laptops and computers (Windows & macOS)
This is the most reliable way to stream the match. All major broadcasters—Sky Go, NOW, Paramount+, Viaplay, DAZN, WOW, beIN Sports Connect, and Digi Online—work directly in a web browser. VPN apps also install easily on both Windows and macOS, making it simple to unblock geo-restricted streams. If you want to watch on your TV, you can connect via HDMI or cast from the browser.
Phones and tablets (iOS & Android)
Mobile devices offer a quick setup because both the streaming apps and VPN apps work natively. Whether you're using NordVPN, Surfshark, or Proton VPN, you just turn it on and open the streaming app. If your TV doesn’t support VPNs, you can still cast from your phone to the TV using Chromecast or AirPlay.
Smart TVs (mixed support)
This category is where things get a bit uneven. Android TV, Google TV, and Amazon Fire TV all support streaming apps and VPN apps directly, which makes them the easiest TV setups for this match. However, Samsung and LG TVs usually don’t support VPN apps. You can still watch, but you'll need a workaround like:
- casting from your phone
- connecting your laptop via HDMI
- running the VPN on your router so the whole network is protected
Streaming devices (the easiest and hardest options)
Here’s the one table for clarity:
| Device | Streaming support | VPN support | Notes |
| Fire TV Stick | Excellent | Yes | Best simple setup |
| Android TV box | Excellent | Yes | Supports most VPN apps directly |
| Apple TV | Very good | Limited | Some VPNs now offer native apps |
| Roku | Good | No | Needs router VPN or Smart DNS |
| Chromecast | Good | Indirect | Works via casting from VPN-enabled device |
Fire TV and Android TV provide the smoothest experience because both the streaming service and the VPN can run on the same device.
Game consoles (PS4/PS5/Xbox)
PlayStation and Xbox consoles support apps like DAZN, NOW, Paramount+, and WOW, so you can stream the match directly. The catch is that consoles do not allow VPN apps. To get around this, you can either:
- install the VPN on your router, or
- create a VPN hotspot from your laptop and connect the console to it.
The easiest setup overall
For most people, the simplest way to watch the match, especially if you're dealing with geo-blocks, is:
Laptop + VPN + browser, then cast or HDMI to TV.
It works on every TV, avoids VPN-compatibility issues, and requires no special configuration.
If your TV setup is newer, then:
Fire TV Stick or Android TV It is the most convenient all-in-one option because you can install both the streaming app and VPN directly on the device.
Match preview and prediction Chelsea vs Arsenal
Chelsea and Arsenal meet at Stamford Bridge for the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The two sides arrive in very different form. Arsenal sits top of the Premier League and has gone five league games unbeaten. Chelsea is down in eighth and has managed just one win in their last five.
Arsenal’s high-pressing 4-3-3 under Mikel Arteta continues to deliver results, while new Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior is shaping a flexible 4-2-3-1 that relies on inverted full-backs. Key players include Viktor Gyökeres for Arsenal, who leads the team in expected goals, and Enzo Fernández for Chelsea, who has been their most effective midfielder this season.
Recent history also favors Arsenal. Chelsea has beaten them only once in their last 10 Premier League meetings, adding extra pressure ahead of this semi-final clash.
Team news and expected lineups
Chelsea will be without Moisés Caicedo, who is suspended, and long-term absentees Levi Colwill (ACL) and Romeo Lavia (thigh). On the positive side, Cole Palmer, Reece James, and Malo Gusto are expected to return after precautionary rests, and Marc Cucurella is back from suspension.
A likely Chelsea XI features Robert Sánchez in goal, with a back four of James, Wesley Fofana, Benoît Badiashile, and Cucurella. Enzo Fernández and Conor Gallagher should anchor midfield, while Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, and Mykhailo Mudryk support João Pedro up front.
Arsenal has a cleaner injury list. Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera are close to returning, and Kai Havertz is available again, though still regaining fitness. The main doubt is Piero Hincapié, who is recovering from a muscle issue.
Arsenal’s expected lineup includes David Raya in goal, a defense of Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, and Calafiori, a midfield of Rice, Zubimendi, and Ødegaard, and a front three of Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, and Viktor Gyökeres.
Head-to-head stats
Across 212 competitive meetings, Arsenal holds the historical advantage with 85 wins to Chelsea's 66, while 61 matches have ended in a draw. This trend has continued in recent years, with Arsenal dominating the fixture.
Recent meetings:
- Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal (November 30, 2025)
- Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (March 16, 2025)
- Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal (November 10, 2024)
- Arsenal 5-0 Chelsea (April 23, 2024)
- Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal (October 21, 2023)
Arsenal has lost just one of the last 10 Premier League encounters against Chelsea, securing six wins in that span. In those meetings, the Gunners have also outscored the Blues, netting 95 goals to Chelsea's 87 in the Premier League era.
Prediction
Arsenal’s relentless form and tactical discipline make them clear favorites, even away from home. Chelsea’s inconsistent performances this season have been a major issue, and their task is made significantly harder by the suspension of midfield anchor Moises Caicedo. His absence will disrupt Chelsea’s defensive structure and ability to control the tempo against a high-energy Arsenal side.
While Chelsea possesses attacking talent in Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández, Arsenal's superior defensive record and cohesive pressing system should limit their opportunities. The Gunners’ attack, led by Viktor Gyökeres and Bukayo Saka, has been clinical and is well-equipped to exploit a Chelsea team missing key personnel. Expect Arsenal to control the match and secure a vital first-leg advantage.
Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
