How to watch Bundesliga games on TV in Germany

In case you didn't notice, Germany is football mad. 

If your German friends are not playing it, they are probably watching it – either at one of the many stadiums across the country, at home or at a bar. 

READ ALSO: Your complete guide to becoming a football fan in Germany

And no wonder it's so popular. The Bundesliga, which is the top-flight men's football league, is the stuff of legend, attracting millions of fans from all over the world. 

Last season saw FC Bayern Munich wrestle the trophy back from Bayer Leverkusen, who made history with their win. In total, the Bavarians have won 12 of the last 13 titles. 

In the upcoming season, 306 matches will be played across 34 match days.

We should add, of course that there are plenty of other great football-watching opportunities in Germany aside from the most well-known teams. The Frauen-Bundesliga, for instance, is the top level for women's association football in Germany. (And the Bavarians are also champions here, with the Bayern Munich's women's team last season snagging the Bundesliga title for the second year in a row). 

Meanwhile, there are plenty of lower-level leagues for both men and women that offer great opportunities to take part in the very German pastime of being obsessed with football. Basically, you are spoiled for choice! 

This season, there are several changes to how Bundesliga men's games will be screened, with Sky Deutschland and DAZN generally sharing the top TV rights of the German Football League (DFL). Here's what to know – and how much it costs to watch all the games. 

Where can I watch live matches for free?

Football fans can catch the first match of the season, airing on Friday August 22nd, on Sat.1. The free-to-air channel will show the opening match between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig (kick off is 8.30pm).

The match is part of a package of nine live matches on free-to-air TV in Germany. This includes the Super Cup, the top league games on match days 17 and 18, four relegation matches and the opening match of the second division of the Bundesliga (known as 2. Bundesliga), which has already passed. 

READ ALSO: German football - Which Bundesliga club should I support?

Where can I find highlights on free-to-air TV?

German public broadcaster ARD has the rights to broadcast the first free-to-air highlights programme on all match days. This season the Sportschau programme will also air on Fridays. Tune in to watch highlights from the first and second divisions. As previously, Das Erste will show highlights on Saturdays and Sundays on Sportschau.

Meanwhile, ZDF will screen highlights on Saturday evening on their show, Sportstudio. On Sunday morning, Sport1 will summarise the previous day's matches. On Monday, highlight clips will be shown from midnight on ZDF, and on Axel Springer Group portals such as ‘bild.de’.

Which pay-TV channels are showing live matches?

Sky is offering most of the live broadcasts of top league games. The pay-to-view channel has added the Friday evening match to its programme, which previously aired on global sports streaming service, DAZN. The matches on Saturday at 3.30pm and 6:30pm will continue to be shown in full on Sky.

DAZN, however, will show the matches on Sundays at 3.30pm and 5.30pm. There will also be 15 matches per season that start at 7.30pm.

Where will Saturday's 'Konference' be shown?

The biggest change this year is that the iconic Konference show (airing on Saturday afternoons) will no longer be broadcast by Sky. The format, which was originally launched by the pay-TV broadcaster under its old name, Premiere, will now be screened on DAZN from this season to 2028/29. The programme, which was first broadcast in the year 2000, has become a fan favourite.

Sky is hitting back with new formats, such as a ‘Multiview’ option. Fans will be able to watch matches in a multi-screen view – accompanied by commentary on the top match of the day.

READ ALSO: Inside the world of the east Berlin club that rallies against commercialisation

What else is new at Sky and DAZN?

The two pay-TV providers are allowed to replay all fixtures, meaning that games can be shown in full shortly after the final whistle. DAZN will therefore show the Sky match on Friday evening at around 10.30pm. And Sky is allowed to show the DAZN matches on Sunday in full shortly after they end.

Where can I find more summaries?

Sky and DAZN will also show highlights after their live broadcasts on match days. The Saturday programme on Sky is called ‘Alle Spiel, alle Tore’ (All Games, All Goals). A new addition to DAZN is the ‘All In’ format, which airs on the same day after the Konference.

RTL+ viewers can also watch highlights from top league games starting this season. The paid-for highlight clips are available on all match days immediately after the final whistle. The new Bundesliga highlight show ‘Complete’ will be screened on Saturdays after the top match. 

How much do the subscriptions cost?

If you want to see all the live broadcasts, you need two subscriptions: Sky and DAZN, or you can mix and match. There are different offers available. Here are a few examples of subscriptions:

• The one-year subscription for the Bundesliga costs €29.99 per month with Sky and also includes the second division. The DFB Cup is not included. For this, customers need the sports subscription, which comes to a total of €34.99 per month.
• At DAZN, customers need the unlimited subscription for Bundesliga matches. This costs €44.99 per month from the streaming provider or €34.99 per month with an annual contract. Along with the domestic league, other leagues and the Champions League are also included in this bundle.
• You can also subscribe to Sky and DAZN together. With a one-year contract, the package costs €64.98 per month when booked through Sky.
• To stream the highlights on RTL+, you need a basic subscription that costs €5.99 per month.