Bayern Munich host Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday, and if you want to watch it online for free, you need a British IP address — or a workaround. The game streams live on BBC iPlayer, which is locked to the UK, but a VPN can fake that location for viewers abroad. Here is how it works.
Bayern Munich vs. Union Berlin kicks off
The match takes place at the Allianz Arena in Munich. Bayern Munich vs. Union Berlin starts at 2.30 p.m. ET on Sept. 18. Bayern are fourth in the league after two wins from three matches, which is a slower start than most fans expected. Star striker Harry Kane has scored just one goal in three games.
Union Berlin have not won yet this season. The underdogs will try to upset the defending champions.
The free stream and the catch
BBC iPlayer carries the match live for free. The catch is geography. The service is blocked outside the UK, which means you cannot watch it from the US, Canada or other countries without a workaround.
That is where the VPN comes in. A virtual private network routes your internet traffic through a server in another country, hiding your real digital location. Connect to a UK server and BBC iPlayer treats you as if you were sitting in London.
Step by step: how to stream the game
- Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN. ExpressVPN is recommended.
- Download the app to your phone, tablet or computer.
- Open the app and connect to a server in the UK.
- Visit BBC iPlayer.
- Watch the match for free from anywhere in the world.
The setup takes minutes. The cost depends on which plan you pick.
Why ExpressVPN is the recommended choice
ExpressVPN runs servers in 105 countries, including the UK. Its app works on:
- iPhone
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
It promises fast, unthrottled connections and up to 10 devices linked at once. There is also a strict no-logging policy, which means the company does not keep records of what users stream.
A two-year subscription is on sale for $68.40, including an extra four months free — 81% off. That plan also throws in a year of free unlimited cloud backup. A one-month plan costs $12.99.
Money-back guarantees and the long-term question
The deal leans on a 30-day money-back guarantee. Pay for the VPN, stream the game, and cancel within a month if you decide the Bundesliga is not worth the commitment.
This is not a long-term strategy. The approach is designed as a temporary fix. But it gets you through the fixture plus Premier League action before you have to recover your investment.
The people behind the guide
The advice comes from Matt Ford, a freelance contributor to Mashable. Joseph Green, the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable, also contributed. Green covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day. He is also Executive Editor of Mashable’s sister site, AskMen.
What we make of it
The workaround is real. Pay for a VPN to watch a free stream, which exists because the stream is locked to a country you do not live in.
It works, technically. It is also a strange arrangement for a global sport. The Bundesliga is a German league, and the fact that its biggest club’s biggest game requires a British proxy to watch is a bit rich.
But the numbers are clear. The two-year plan with backup is 81% off, and the one-month trial is cheap enough that a single Bundesliga weekend might justify it. The money-back guarantee means you are not locked in.
For anyone who wants to watch Bayern Munich vs. Union Berlin without paying a subscription fee, the workaround is real. Just expect the irony to be included.
The game starts at 2.30 p.m. ET on Sept. 18. Set up the VPN before kick-off.
Source material: “How to watch Bayern Munich vs. Union Berlin online for free,” Mashable.
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