It’s the business end of the Europa League. We’ve reached the semi-final stage, meaning all four teams left will feel they can go all the way.
As is the case in the Champions League, half of the semi-final lineup is comprised of British teams. West Ham and Rangers have performed extremely well to get this far, but face an uphill task to make it to the final.
While tournament favourites Barcelona crashed out in the quarter-finals, conquerors Eintracht Frankfurt are proving a real test for the Hammers. Likewise, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side will do well to overturn a one-goal deficit against RB Leipzig.
Here’s how you can watch both semi-final second legs live, whether you’re in the UK or abroad.
Europa League fixtures
The second legs of the Europa League semi-finals take place today, with West Ham and Rangers looking to come from behind. Here are the key details, including UK kick-off times and the BT Sport channel to look out for:
Thu 5 May
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs West Ham (agg. 2-1) – KO 8pm – BT Sport 1
- Rangers vs RB Leipzig (agg. 0-1) – KO 8pm – BT Sport 2/Ultimate
The winners of each tie will compete for the trophy in Seville on 18 May. For more information, head to the UEFA website to see a full guide to the Europa League fixtures and results.
How to watch the Europa League in the UK
BT Sport has exclusive rights to the Europa League in the UK, so you’ll need an active subscription in order to start watching.
There are a few options when it comes to signing up to BT Sport, firstly by combining it with BT Broadband. Put your postcode into the website to see what deals are available.
On the TV side, prices start at £16 per month for the duration of a 24-month contract. In exchange, you’ll get all the BT Sport channels and BoxNation, alongside Freeview, AMC and a recordable TV box.
You can also just use the BT Sport app (£16pm) – it works on mobile, tablet, smart TV and console – or buy the Monthly Pass for £25pm. If your device supports it, you’ll still be able to watch in up to 4K HDR quality.Sky customers can get BT Sport added from £15pm (after a three-month £7.50pm promotion).
Sky customers can get BT Sport added for £21pm. BT also offers a combined package with Sky Sports via Now, which is £40pm for 24 months.
View all of the BT Sport packages here.
How to watch the Europa League from abroad
BT Sport is geo-restricted, meaning you can only officially watch its coverage if you’re based in the UK.
A workaround is available if you’re outside this region, but we’d encourage you to find the the local broadcaster first – especially if you’re based there permanently. That’s CBS and Univision in the US, Stan in Australia or Sony Pictures Networks in the Indian subcontinent.
However, if you already have an active UK subscription, we’d recommend accessing the BT Sport stream using a VPN. This will allow you to still appear as if you’re in the UK and retain access to channels, and it’s completely legal.
Nord VPN is one of our top recommendations, but you can check out our best VPN chart, which shows you some of the best services for accessing UK content from abroad.
If you’re only planning on using the VPN for the football, you might also want to consider a free VPN. Nearly all will have a UK server, but there may be strict data limits.
Want more football? Here’s how to watch the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and WSL.
Author: Anyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.