Working out how to watch Nottingham Forest should be simple, and most weeks it is – but between two Premier League broadcasters, a Saturday afternoon blackout that still catches people out, and the small matter of the Reds having no European football this season, it pays to know where to look. This is the permanent guide: which channels show Forest in the UK, how to stream them legally, what happens with 3pm kick-offs, and where to find commentary if there is no picture.
How to watch Nottingham Forest on TV: the channels
In the UK, live Premier League football is split between Sky Sports and TNT Sports. Sky holds the larger share of the picks under the current domestic rights cycle and shows the bulk of Forest’s televised league games, spread across Saturday evening, Sunday and Monday night slots. TNT Sports takes a smaller package, typically including some Saturday 12.30pm kick-offs and midweek rounds.
The BBC does not show live Premier League matches but retains the highlights rights, which means every Forest league game appears on Match of the Day and on BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards. For domestic cup football, Carabao Cup ties are broadcast by Sky Sports and FA Cup ties are shared between the BBC and TNT Sports.
Forest are not in Europe in 2026/27, so there is no midweek continental coverage to track this season – every fixture is a domestic one.
The 3pm Saturday blackout, explained
This is the single most common reason a Forest game you expected to find on TV is nowhere to be found. Under UEFA’s Article 48, no live football may be televised in the UK between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday. It is a decades-old rule intended to protect attendances across the pyramid, and it applies to the Premier League as much as to the National League.
The practical effect: if Forest kick off at 3pm on a Saturday, the match will not be on any UK broadcaster. Oliver Glasner’s side host Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground on Saturday 6 September at 3pm, which is exactly that scenario – no live TV coverage in this country, radio commentary and highlights only.
A game only becomes televised once it is moved out of that window, which is why fixture dates and times get shifted several weeks in advance. Broadcast selections are usually confirmed around six to eight weeks ahead, and the Premier League’s official fixtures page is the quickest place to check what has moved.
How to stream Nottingham Forest legally
If a Forest game is on Sky Sports, there are two routes. Sky television customers can watch through Sky Go at no extra cost, and anyone without a Sky subscription can buy a NOW Sports membership, available as a rolling monthly pass or a one-day pass – useful if you only want the odd match rather than a season-long commitment.
TNT Sports games can be streamed through the TNT Sports app for existing subscribers, or via discovery+, which sells TNT Sports as an add-on without needing a traditional TV package. Both broadcasters are also available as add-ons through Sky, Virgin Media, BT and EE.
For overseas supporters the picture is different again: rights are sold territory by territory, so the Premier League’s own broadcast schedules and rights-holder list is the reliable way to find your local channel. Forest fans abroad can also access match passes through the club in some territories where no domestic broadcaster has picked the game up.
Radio and audio commentary
When the cameras are absent – which, thanks to the blackout, is a good chunk of the season – audio is the answer. BBC Radio Nottingham carries full local commentary on every Forest match, home and away, free on the BBC Sounds app. National coverage comes from BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT, both of which cover selected Premier League games each weekend.
The club’s own audio commentary is available to subscribers through the official Forest website and app, which is generally the route for overseas supporters who cannot get BBC Sounds.
Getting to the City Ground
Nothing beats being there. Forest’s home is on the south bank of the Trent, a 20-minute walk from Nottingham railway station, and tickets go on general sale after the various membership and season-ticket windows have passed – demand at the City Ground has been consistently high since promotion. Away allocations are handled through the club’s loyalty points system.
If you are visiting for the first time, our guide to the City Ground’s stands, capacity and history covers where to sit and what to expect, and there is a redevelopment plan in motion that will reshape the ground in the coming years.
A word on illegal streams
They are not worth it. Beyond the legal exposure, unlicensed streams are a well-documented vector for malware and payment fraud, and enforcement in the UK has become considerably more aggressive – the Premier League obtains blocking orders every season and pursues both operators and, increasingly, users. A NOW day pass costs less than a matchday pint round.
Quick reference
- Premier League live (UK): Sky Sports and TNT Sports
- Streaming: Sky Go, NOW Sports, TNT Sports app, discovery+
- Highlights: BBC Match of the Day and iPlayer
- Carabao Cup: Sky Sports (Forest exited in the second round this season)
- Radio: BBC Radio Nottingham on BBC Sounds; club audio via the official app
- Saturday 3pm: no UK live TV – radio and highlights only
Fixture dates move, broadcast picks change, and the only two sources worth trusting on either are the official Nottingham Forest website and the Premier League’s own listings. Bookmark both, check the kick-off time before you make plans, and remember that a 3pm Saturday means you are either at the City Ground or listening to it. Most Reds would tell you the first option was always the better one anyway.
