How to watch Chelsea vs Benfica live for free: Champions League streaming guide
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Chelsea host Benfica at Stamford Bridge on October 1, 2025, in the Champions League group stage. Chelsea are two-time winners of the competition (2012, 2021), while Benfica claimed back-to-back European Cups in 1961 and 1962 and remain one of Portugal’s most decorated clubs.
In the 2025–26 Premier League, Chelsea sit 8th with 8 points from 6 matches (2 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses, +3 goal difference). Their top scorer so far is Enzo Fernández, with 3 goals across competitions. Injuries complicate their options, notably Cole Palmer, who is sidelined.
Benfica lead the Primeira Liga with 17 points from 7 matches (5 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses), scoring 13 goals and conceding 4. Key performers include João Neves, who has been central in midfield, and Ángel Di María, delivering both creativity and experience.
In their current Champions League group, both Chelsea and Benfica have zero points after one match – each side lost their opener and carries a negative goal difference. This match will be pivotal in deciding which team gets off the mark early in the competition.
The two clubs previously met in the 2012 quarter-finals, where Chelsea advanced and ultimately won the trophy. That history, combined with their current ambitions, makes this a high-stakes clash for both sides.
Where to watch Chelsea vs Benfica
The table below shows all confirmed broadcasters for Chelsea vs Benfica. Several free live stream options are available because local networks in Ireland, Turkey, and Romania hold rights to show selected Champions League matches without a subscription. Virgin Media Two in Ireland is especially valuable since it regularly broadcasts one or two Champions League games each week in English, making it a consistent free viewing option.
| Broadcaster | Country | Type | Price / access | Notes |
| Virgin Media Two | Ireland | Free-to-air | Free | Regularly broadcasts weekly UCL matches; available via Virgin Media Player, English commentary |
| TRT 1 | Turkey | Free-to-air | Free | National broadcaster, Turkish commentary |
| Digi Sport 4 | Romania | Cable / online | Included in Digi Sport package | Streamable via Digi Online app for subscribers |
| TNT Sports (Discovery+) | United Kingdom | Paid streaming | £30.99/month | Full Champions League coverage |
| Eleven Sports / RTP | Portugal | Paid / occasional free-to-air | €11.99/month (Eleven) | RTP shows select games free; Eleven carries all matches |
Watching abroad with a VPN
These streams are geo-restricted and only available in their home countries. If you are outside Ireland, Turkey, or Romania, you’ll need a virtual private network (VPN) to access them. A VPN allows you to connect to a server in the broadcaster’s country and unlock the stream.
We recommend NordVPN for Champions League streaming. It offers fast speeds and reliable servers in all three regions with free coverage.
For English-language commentary, Virgin Media Two (Ireland) is the best free option. TRT 1 and Digi Sport 4 broadcast in Turkish and Romanian.
Other free Champions League matches on Matchday 2
A VPN isn’t only useful for unlocking Chelsea vs Benfica. Several other fixtures on Matchday 2 are available on free-to-air channels across Europe. The table below lists confirmed matches and their free streaming options:
| Match | Date & time | Free streaming services |
| Kairat – Real Madrid | Tue, Sep 30, 7:45 PM | Virgin Media Two (Ireland), Digi Sport 1 (Romania), TRT Spor (Turkey) |
| Atalanta – Club Brugge | Tue, Sep 30, 7:45 PM | Club RTL via RTL Play (Belgium), VTM 2 (Belgium), Digi Sport 2 (Romania) |
| Marseille – Ajax | Tue, Sep 30, 9:00 PM | Digi Sport 1 (Romania) |
| Chelsea – Benfica | Tue, Sep 30, 9:00 PM | Virgin Media Two (Ireland), Digi Sport 4 (Romania), TRT 1 (Turkey) |
| Galatasaray – Liverpool | Tue, Sep 30, 9:00 PM | Digi Sport 2 (Romania) |
| Pafos – Bayern | Tue, Sep 30, 9:00 PM | Digi Sport 3 (Romania) |
| Bodø/Glimt – Tottenham | Tue, Sep 30, 9:00 PM | ViX (USA) |
| Qarabag FK – Copenhagen | Wed, Oct 1, 7:45 PM | Digi Sport 2 (Romania) |
| Union Saint-Gilloise – Newcastle | Wed, Oct 1, 7:45 PM | Virgin Media Two (Ireland), Club RTL via RTL Play (Belgium), VTM 2 (Belgium), Digi Sport 1 (Romania), bTV Action (Bulgaria), TRT Spor (Turkey) |
| Monaco – Man City | Wed, Oct 1, 9:00 PM | RTS 2 (Switzerland), RSI La 2 (Switzerland), SRF Zwei (Switzerland), Digi Sport 2 (Romania) |
| Villarreal – Juventus | Wed, Oct 1, 9:00 PM | Digi Sport 4 (Romania), TRT 1 (Turkey) |
| Arsenal – Olympiacos | Wed, Oct 1, 9:00 PM | RTÉ 2 (Ireland), Mega TV (Greece), Digi Sport 3 (Romania) |
| Barcelona – PSG | Wed, Oct 1, 9:00 PM | Virgin Media Two (Ireland), Digi Sport 1 (Romania), TV8 (Italy), HRT 2 (Croatia), bTV Action (Bulgaria), RTS (Serbia |
Can I watch Chelsea vs Benfica on mobile?
Yes, you can watch Chelsea vs Benfica on mobile devices through the official apps and websites of the broadcasters showing the match. In Ireland, Virgin Media Player has iOS and Android apps as well as browser streaming, and it works with a VPN if you connect to an Irish server.
In Romania, Digi Online lets Digi Sport subscribers stream on mobile through dedicated apps, and it also works with a VPN when set to a Romanian location. Turkish viewers can use the TRT İzle app or stream via browser to access TRT 1, and this service functions normally when paired with a VPN server in Turkey.
In the UK, the game is available on Discovery+, which has iOS and Android apps and works smoothly with VPN connections to UK servers. In Portugal, fans can stream the match through Eleven Sports or RTP Play – both offer mobile apps, and RTP Play also streams free in-browser. As with the others, these platforms can be unlocked abroad by using a VPN set to Portugal.
To stream Chelsea vs Benfica on mobile from anywhere, simply install NordVPN, connect to the relevant country server, and log into the broadcaster’s app. NordVPN is recommended because it provides reliable speeds on mobile, dedicated apps for iOS and Android, and consistent access to region-locked services.
