Two teams that are widely expected to be vying for a promotion spot this term face off in Friday's opening match of the new English Football League Championship season, as Birmingham hosts Ipswich.
Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if the match isn't available where you are.
Spearheaded by the ambitious ownership of Tom Wagner and NFL legend Tom Brady, Birmingham was promoted up from League One last season with a record points tally. Summer acquisitions such as Demarai Gray, Kyogo Furuhashi and Taylor Gardner-Hickman should help maintain that momentum as they seek back-to-back promotions.
Having retained the services of much-coveted manager Kieran McKenna, the Tractor Boys are meanwhile seen as the favorites to win this season's Championship and make an immediate return to the English Premier League, despite losing key striker Liam Delap to Chelsea earlier this summer.
Birmingham City take on Ipswich Town on Friday, Aug. 8, at St. Andrew's, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. BST local time. That makes it a 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT start in the US and Canada, and a 5 a.m. AEST kickoff in Australia on Saturday morning.
Led by manager Chris Davies, Birmingham City are back in the Championship with big ambitions. Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images
How to watch Birmingham vs. Ipswich in the US without cable
American soccer fans can stream this fixture on CBS Sports Network via Paramount Plus, which has exclusive live English-language broadcast rights in the US for the EFL Championship this season.
How to watch the EFL Championship from anywhere with a VPN
If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the EFL Championship action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.
It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds, and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.
However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN usage to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance.
If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions, ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial.
James Martin/CNET ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year) Latest Tests No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 tests Network 3,000 plus servers in 105 countries Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at ExpressVPN
Livestream Birmingham vs. Ipswich in the UK
This Championship fixture is exclusive to Sky Sports, showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and UHD channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account and a Now Sports membership to stream the game.
Livestream Birmingham vs. Ipswich in Canada
If you want to stream the Championship live in Canada, you'll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada. The service has exclusive broadcast rights to the English Football League this season.
DAZN DAZN Watch the Championship in Canada from CA$30 a month A DAZN subscription currently costs CA$30 a month or CA$200 a year and will also give you access to Champions League and Europa League soccer, Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis. As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there's a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs. See at DAZN
Livestream Birmingham vs. Ipswich in Australia
Footy fans down under can watch the Championship on BeIn Sports, which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for the EFL. This match is set to be shown on BeIn Sports Connect.
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