Timbers vs Sounders live stream: Can you watch for free?

The Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers meet for another edition of what is arguably the league’s fiercest rivalry tonight. Both sides have struggled to start the season, each tallying just 10 points through 11 matches, but most context can usually be tossed out the window when the Cascadia rivals meet. It’s always an entertaining battle, and this one should be no different.

The fierce rivalry match is just about to start, at 4:45 p.m. ET, and will be televised on Fox. But if you don’t have cable and you’re looking to watch MLS games online, there are a handful of different ways you can watch the Timbers vs Sounders live stream for free.

Is There a Free Timbers vs Sounders Live Stream?

While there are a number of different live-TV streaming services that include Fox, three of them also come with a free trial, allowing you to watch the Timbers vs Sounders without actually having to pay anything: Fubo (“Pro” channel package), YouTube TV (“Base Plan”) and DirecTV Stream (“Entertainment” channel package).

Note that with all of these streaming services, Fox is available live in most–but not all–markets. Fubo has Fox available in the most markets overall, but all three have Fox in Seattle (KCPQ-13), Portland (KPTV-12) and the surrounding areas.

If you’ve already used your free trials, or you happen to live in one of the few markets that doesn’t have Fox available, you can also watch the match for free on Apple TV. While every MLS match is available on MLS Season Pass through Apple TV, there are a few games every week offered up for free. And with just how big this rivalry match is, it’s not surprising that it is one of the free ones.

To watch the Timbers vs Sounders on Apple TV, all you need to do is head to the website or app and sign in with an Apple ID, which is free. Again, no MLS Season Pass subscription is required.

How to Watch the Timbers vs Sounders Live Stream from Abroad

If you’re trying to watch the Timbers vs Sounders from somewhere outside of the United States, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to access one of the aforementioned streaming services from abroad. All of those streaming services are US-only, but a VPN can hide your location/IP address and bypass those geo-locks, allowing you to watch Fubo, YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream from nearly anywhere in the world.

NordVPN is perfect for this purpose. It’s safe, it doesn’t limit your bandwidth speeds (important for streaming live sports) and it’s easy to use. And while it doesn’t come with a free trial, it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee that lets you try it out risk-free.

If you want some alternatives, you can take a gander at our rundown of the best VPN services and the best VPN deals.