SCIENCE & TECH: How to watch Newcastle vs Barcelona for *FREE*

Newcastle United vs Barcelona is one of the highlights of Matchday 1 in the Champions League, as Eddie Howe’s side welcome the Blaugrana. Memories will still be fresh of Newcastle’s famous 4-1 victory over PSG in 2023, and they will be hoping to repeat that feat against one of the favourites for the UCL.

What’s even better is that RTÉ Player will be streaming this game for free to viewers in Ireland.

But how can you watch Newcastle vs Barcelona on RTÉ Player from anywhere? And, can you access the free UCL stream in the UK and the US too?

Here’s our simple guide to how to watch Newcastle vs Barcelona in the 2025/26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world using NordVPN.

How to watch Newcastle vs Barcelona for free on RTÉ Player

RTÉ Player will be streaming Newcastle vs Barcelona in the 2025/26 Champions League for free to Irish residents.

To watch RTÉ Player: visit the RTÉ Player website or download the app (iOS / Android)

You don’t even need an account to watch RTÉ Player — just find your Newcastle vs Barcelona stream and you’ll be good to go.

OUTSIDE IRELAND? ACCESS YOUR FREE NEWCASTLE VS BARCELONA STREAM FROM ANYWHERE WITH NORDVPN

How to watch Newcastle vs Barcelona for free from anywhere

Although RTÉ Player is one of the best streaming platforms available for the UCL, it is only accessible if you’re an Irish resident.

Football lovers traveling outside their home turf can still access their free Newcastle vs Barcelona Champions League stream by using a VPN.

There are lots of VPN’s but NordVPN is our pick to unblock RTÉ Player to stream The Champions League like a pro…. and you can save 70% right now.

It’s really easy to use a VPN to watch RTÉ Player.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we’ve said, NordVPN is the best choice.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you’re visiting Canada and want to watch your free Irish Virgin Media Play stream – you’d select Ireland from the options.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to the RTÉ Player website, sign in, and watch Newcastle vs Barcelona for free.

RTÉ Player Q+A

Why should I use RTÉ Player to watch Newcastle vs Barcelona in the Champions League?

RTÉ Player is one of our favourite streaming services for Irish residents, offering a host of live sports as well as an abundance of great TV shows, including The Traitors Ireland.

On the opening week of the Champions League, RTÉ has shown two free matches, with Liverpool vs Atlético Madrid as their curtain-raiser and Newcastle vs Barcelona up next.

It’s a match you won’t want to miss, with the atmosphere set to be electric inside St James’ Park.

RTÉ recommends an internet speed of at least 5–10 Mbps for quality streaming so you can feel like you’re right alongside the Geordie boys.

We watched Arne Slot’s team defeat Atlético 3–2 last night on the platform, and the coverage was superb!

Which devices can I watch RTÉ Player with?

• Amazon Fire (Tablets, Cube, Stick, and Fire TVs)
• Android TV (please note: some models may not be supported)
• Android (Mobile & Tablet – Android 7.0 and above)
• Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
• Google TV (including Chromecast with Google TV and NVIDIA Shield)
• Freely
• Freesat (please note: some models may not be supported)
• Freeview Play (TVs and set-top boxes – some models may not be supported)
• iOS (iPhone & iPad – iOS 14 and above)
• LG Smart TVs (2016–2024 models)
• NOW Smart Sticks and Boxes (minimum firmware version 11.5.0)
• PlayStation (PS4 and PS5)
• Roku (Stick & Roku OS-powered TVs – minimum firmware version 11.5.0)
• Samsung Smart TVs (2017 and newer models)
• Sky (Sky Q, Sky Glass, and Sky Stream puck)
• Virgin Media (360, Stream, and TiVo)
• YouView (BT, Humax, Sony, and TalkTalk boxes)
• Xbox (One, Series X, and Series S)

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