Sky viewers report issues trying to access live UEFA finals coverage on Discovery+ which could thwart some user’s attempts to watch the Champions League final.
- Viewers see subscription upgrade message, despite the games being free to all Discovery+ users.
- This has led to some users going round in circles trying to activate Discovery+.
- How to link Discovery+ with Sky and what to do if all else fails.
TNT Sports is making live coverage of Saturday’s Wembley-based Champions League final available to all via Discovery+ in the UK. It follows free live streaming of the UEFA Europa and UEFA Conference League Men’s Finals last week.
However, some Sky viewers say they’ve been stopped from watching the games live and free on their Sky Q, Sky Glass or Sky Stream device because they’re getting a message telling them to upgrade.
Although the Champions League final is on TNT Sports, Sky users without a TNT subscription won’t be able to simply access TNT Sports from their channel list.
Instead, users must go to the Discovery+ app and select the free, live stream of the game from there.
Karl is one of RXTV’s readers who first reported problems during the UEFA Europa League finals which threatens to affect viewers hoping to watch the Champions League final.
Access to Discovery+ Standard is available at no extra cost to Sky subscribers using Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream. While this doesn’t normally include TNT Sports, Discovery+ is making a free stream available to all.
Despite this, viewers like Karl said they kept seeing a message asking them to upgrade to TNT Sports to be able to watch the free stream.
Although the final is free to stream, you do need to have a Discovery+ account.
Troubleshooting the problem
Sky customers are expected to link their Sky account with Discovery+. If you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to do so following the instructions below.
- However, we’ve had reports suggesting some users have to make multiple attempts for it to work.
- And like our reader Karl, it appears that systems have struggled to handle demand during the previous two finals when more than usual have reported issues. He was only able to sort the problem after the game had finished. Therefore, it’s best to try and link Discovery+ with Sky before the game gets underway.
Signing up for Discovery+ on Sky
If you’re a Sky Q user, you can watch a tutorial via YouTube, or follow the instructions below. For other Sky devices, scroll down for full instructions.
STEP 1: choose your device from the section below and follow the instructions to access Discovery+
If you’re still using a Sky+HD box, this option is not available for you.
Sky Q
- Press Home, then scroll down the menu and select My Sky.
- Or press the Voice button on your Sky remote and say “My Sky”.
- Select discovery+. If you can’t see it, select Browse Shop then discovery+.
- Sign up with Sky
Continue with step 2.
Sky Stream
- Press Home, then select My Sky at the bottom of the screen. Or press the Voice button on your Sky remote and say “My Sky”.
- Select Sky Shop then discovery+.
- Sign up with Sky
Sky Glass
- Press Home, then select My Sky at the bottom of the screen. Or say “Hello Sky, go to My Sky”
- Select Sky Shop then discovery+.
- Sign up with Sky
STEP 2: Signing up with Sky
- If you’re eligible for a free Discovery+ subscription, the price will show as £0.
- Check the terms and conditions and select confirm to move to the next screen.
- Scan the QR code on your smartphone or tablet. Or visit sky.com/discoveryplus-activate.
- Sign in with your Sky ID and create a Discovery+ account.
STEP 3: Activate your account with Discovery+
- Activate your account by going to Discovery+ on your Sky device.
- Select Sign In
- You’ll see an activation code on your screen. Go to discoveryplus.com/link and enter the code to activate your account.
Once in to Discovery+, you’ll be able to access everything that is part of the Discovery+ Standard pack, which includes access to content from Discovery, Quest, TLC and more, plus Eurosport. And for the Champions League final, you’ll also have access to free live stream.
Within Discovery+ ensure you’ve selected the free live stream option for the final, not any of the other TNT Sports streams, which would require a Premium subscription.
If all else fails…
The issues linking Sky and Discovery+ previously forced some users to try accessing Discovery+ on another device.
Many smart TVs include the Discovery+ app, alongside leading streaming sticks and dongles. You can find a full list of supported devices on the Discovery+ Help Centre website.
You can always create a free Discovery+ account if you don’t have one, that isn’t linked to Sky to watch the game for free on a non-Sky device.
By the way, you can continue to use the free Discovery+ account to live stream or catch-up on programmes that are shown on DMAX, Quest, Quest Red, Really, Food Network and HGTV.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Warner Bros Discovery promotional image