Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. Deals

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Real Madrid vs Bayern live stream: Can you watch for free?

Add as a preferred source on Google

Following a 2-2 draw in the opener, Real Madrid and Bayern meet for the second leg of their Champions League semifinal matchup today at the Santiago Bernabeu. It’s a battle between two of the most accomplished sides in European Cup history, as Real Madrid lead all clubs with 17 finals, while Bayern are tied for second with 11.

This match is about to start, at 3:00 p.m. ET, so pick a streaming service below quickly. The game will be televised on CBS in the United States. But if you don’t have cable and you’re looking to watch Champions League action online, we’ve found five different ways you can watch a free live stream of Real Madrid vs Bayern.

Is There a Free Real Madrid vs Bayern Live Stream?

Paramount Plus logo on a black background.
Paramount / Paramount

If you live in the United States, the quickest and most simple way to watch a live stream of Real Madrid vs Bayern is through Paramount+, which includes every single Champions League and Europa League game. It costs $6 per month, but it also comes with a free seven-day trial, allowing you to watch today’s match before you actually need to pay anything.

For those who prefer to watch the match on Amazon’s webiste/app rather than Paramount’s, or for those who have already used their Paramount+ free trial and are seeking a backup option, you can watch a live stream of Real Madrid vs Bayern via the Paramount+ Amazon Prime Channel. It includes all of the exact same live and on-demand content, it’s the same monthly price and it comes with a separate seven-day free trial.

Next, with the match being televised on CBS, you can also watch the match on a live-TV streaming service such as as Fubo (“Pro” channel package), YouTube TV (“Base Plan”) or DirecTV Stream (“Entertainment” channel package). All of these services include CBS (live in most markets) among their extensive channel plans, and all of them come with a free trial.

If you’re going to want to watch the final on June 1, a month of Paramount+ is going to be far cheaper than a month of one of these live-TV streaming services. But if you simply want to watch today’s match at no cost, any of these options will work perfectly fine.

How to Watch the Real Madrid vs Bayern Live Stream from Abroad

NordVPN app listing on Apple TV.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

If you live outside of the United States, or you happen to be traveling somewhere at the time of the match, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) to watch one of the aforementioned options. All of those streaming services are location-restricted to US-only, but a VPN can hide your IP address (and thus, your location) and let you stream otherwise inaccessible content from other countries.

In other words, you can use a VPN–we recommend NordVPN, which tops our lists of the best VPN services and the best VPN deals–to watch a live stream of Real Madrid vs Bayern on Paramount+ no matter where you are in the world.

Tim Keeney
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Tim is a long-time sports journalist who has written about everything from the NFL to more popular sports such as chess…
Christopher Nolan’s personal take on smartphones is surprisingly practical
Christopher Nolan says not owning a smartphone helps him think better
Christopher Nolan sits in front of an IMAX camera.

Christopher Nolan has spent his career embracing cutting-edge filmmaking technology while resisting one of the most common gadgets on the planet: the smartphone. The Oscar-winning director behind Oppenheimer, Inception, and the upcoming The Odyssey says his decision isn't about rejecting technology altogether. It's about protecting something he believes has become increasingly rare - time to think.

In an interview with The Telegraph ahead of the premiere of The Odyssey, Nolan explained that he still doesn't own a smartphone, despite living in a world where QR codes, digital tickets, and messaging apps have become everyday necessities. His reasoning, however, is far more practical than philosophical.

Read more
Letterboxd could find a new home at Netflix, but Sony is fighting for it, too
Netflix wants Letterboxd, but Hollywood isn't letting it go without a fight
Letterboxd

Letterboxd, the fast-growing social network for film lovers, could soon have a new owner. According to a report by Puck News, the New Zealand-based platform has been exploring a potential sale, attracting interest from several major entertainment companies, including Netflix, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Paramount Skydance.

While no deal has been confirmed, the discussions highlight how valuable online fan communities have become as streaming platforms compete not just for viewers, but also for the audiences that influence what people watch next.

Read more
Disney+ is exploring a free tier to fight back against YouTube’s growing TV dominance
Disney is eyeing a free tier as YouTube keeps stealing its TV audience
The Disney+ app on a TV screen while blue lights illuminate the wall behind.

Watching Disney+ without paying for a subscription could eventually become an option. According to Business Insider, Disney is considering a free tier that would let people watch some content without a paywall.

The idea is still in the early stages, with no timeline or launch details, but it reflects a growing challenge. YouTube and other free, ad-supported platforms like Tubi and Roku are attracting more TV viewers, forcing streaming services to rethink how they compete.

Read more