If you’ve been Googling does ESPN have Serie A, you’re not alone — this topic confuses a lot of soccer fans. The short answer: No, ESPN no longer has exclusive rights to stream all Serie A matches in the United States. As of the current 2025-26 season, Paramount+ / CBS Sports hold the English-language broadcast and streaming rights in the U.S.
In this article, CandyGoal will walk you through exactly what that means: how it works now, what changed, where you can watch Serie A, and what to look out for if you want to stay up to date.
What Was The ESPN Arrangement
To understand where things stand, it helps to know what used to be:
- Starting in 2018, ESPN and ESPN+ held a multi-year deal for Serie A in the U.S. That included over 340 matches per season: most of them on ESPN+, plus a “Match of the Week” on ESPN or ESPN2.
- Fans could get live matches, highlights, stats, schedule, team info, and all the normal coverage via ESPN’s platforms during that period. Wikipedia)
So for a while, yes — ESPN did have Serie A, both as streaming and linear TV rights (to a more limited extent on TV). But that has changed.
What Changed: Who Owns The Rights Now
Here’s the shift in 2025 that matters:
- Paramount+ / CBS Sports now hold the English-language streaming and broadcast rights to Serie A for the U.S. market.
- The deal was extended or re-assigned starting with the 2024-25 season and continues through at least the next two seasons.
- ESPN no longer holds those streaming rights in English. So if you were hoping to see every match via ESPN+, that’s no longer the case.
Can You Still See Any Serie A Content On ESPN?
Yes — even though ESPN doesn’t carry live English-language Serie A matches under the current rights deal, it still has value for Serie A fans. Here’s how:
- News, statistics, fixtures, scores, tables, analysis, transfers: ESPN continues to provide extensive written coverage, editorial content, and stats about Serie A. All of that remains accessible.
- Schedule listings: ESPN still lists the Serie A schedule with details like match dates, kickoff times, sometimes TV/streaming listings. But those listings will often point to Paramount+ / CBS rather than ESPN streams.
- Roster info, history, and previews: Same with background articles, stories, transfers, player stats — ESPN remains a reliable source.
Where To Watch Serie A In The U.S. Now (2025-26)
Since ESPN no longer carries the exclusive English streaming rights, here are your current best options to watch live Serie A matches in the U.S.:
| Platform | What it Covers |
| Paramount+ / CBS Sports | All English-language live Serie A matches |
| CBS Sports Network | Some matches, usually high-profile ones,. |
| Spanish-language options (e.g. DAZN, Univision, TUDN) | Provide Spanish commentary / broadcast of many matches, depending on deal. |
If you try to see a match on ESPN or ESPN+, you’ll likely find a “rights held by another provider” message. It’s no longer part of ESPN’s portfolio for live English Serie A.
Why It Changed
A few reasons behind this switch:
- Broadcast rights are renegotiated regularly. Leagues like Serie A often auction off U.S. rights every few years. Bigger bids, evolving streaming landscapes, and changing audience behavior all play a part.
- Paramount+ / CBS likely made a more attractive offer. Recent reporting shows that they extended or renewed their deal for North America, with coverage continuing beyond 2025.3. ESPN’s strategy has shifted. While ESPN remains strong in soccer coverage (La Liga, Premier League, etc.), their business focus (content costs, streaming service restructuring, etc.) seems to have lessened emphasis on grabbing Serie A live rights in the U.S.
What To Do If You’re A Serie A Fan
Here are practical tips so you don’t miss the action:
- Subscribe to Paramount+: This is your go-to for most English commentary streamed live. Check their plans, and whether your cable/satellite provider offers CBS Sports Network too.
- Check Spanish-language outlets if you prefer commentary in Spanish — DAZN / Univision / TUDN might be chea.
- Use ESPN for news and stats: Even though ESPN isn’t streaming the matches in English, their coverage is still strong for staying up-to-date on transfers, player stats, match previews and post-match analysis.
- Watch for special, “Match of the Week” type games, which sometimes show up on non-Paramount / CBS broadcasts (though less often in English now).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ESPN+ still exist? ESPN+ has been folded into ESPN’s newer direct-to-consumer service as of August 2025. The “Select” tier of the new ESPN streaming app includes much of the ESPN+ content. However, Serie A rights are not part of what ESPN streams live in English.
Is there any ESPN cable channel airing Serie A? Not for English audio rights under the current deal. The live rights lie with Paramount+ / CBS. ESPN’s cable channels may still mention, preview, or re-air highlight shows, but not full live Serie A matches in English.
Will ESPN ever get Serie A back? It depends on how future contracts shake out. If ESPN decides to bid for the rights again (and offers what Serie A demands), it’s possible. But as of 2025-26, that’s not the case.
Conclusion
Does ESPN have Serie A? Not in terms of live English-language matches in the U.S. as of 2025-26. The rights belong to Paramount+ / CBS Sports. But ESPN remains a strong source for news, stats, interviews, and history surrounding Serie A clubs, players and competitions.
If you’re looking to watch Serie A live, your best move is to subscribe to Paramount+, or check out Spanish-language platforms if that works better. And if you want the latest player stats, match updates, or transfer gossip — yes, ESPN still has you covered.
