Stream2Watch is one of the more popular free sports streaming websites out there today. It offers streams for several sports, including basketball, baseball, rugby, and boxing.
However, there are some major disadvantages of using Stream2Watch:
- Streams on Stream2Watch could be illegal in your country as it constitutes copyright infringement. This means the website hosts copyrighted content without the necessary licenses and permissions. It is best to check local laws before streaming.
- Sites like Stream2Watch are funded by ad revenues. Some of these can contain malware and other malicious software that will harm your device.
Unfortunately, viable legal alternatives to Stream2Watch are mostly paid or subscription-based services, such as Hotstar and ESPN.
Given the drawbacks, it’s crucial that you protect yourself from prying eyes and malicious content when using Stream2Watch. Here are a few ways to do this:
- Use a reliable and effective antivirus, like Bitdefender.
- Connect to the internet using a virtual private network (VPN) which protects your online activity. A reliable, fast, and secure VPN we recommend is NordVPN.
For more information about Stream2Watch including the top 14 alternatives, read the full article below.
This year looks great for sports fans. They’ll be able to watch FIFA Club World Cup, Super Bowl LVII, UEFA Champions League, Tour de France, and much more.
However, different providers broadcast different sports and events. For most fans, buying subscriptions to several different channels can be very expensive. This is why there is so much demand for live sports streams.
Stream2Watch is one of the most well-known free sports streaming sites in the world. The popular website features live sports streams for baseball, MMA, basketball, rugby, tennis, and hockey, among others.
In this article, we review Stream2Watch, including the content available, the types of streams that you can find, availability in different regions, and also recommend 14 alternatives to Stream2Watch.
What is Stream2Watch?
Stream2Watch is a free live sports streaming site with more than 350 channels. While its primary focus is sports, it also offers live TV channels such as ABC, Cartoon Network, Disney, and National Geographic. This means you can use Stream2Watch to catch your favorite movies, sports, and TV shows, all in one place.
Like most other free sports streaming services, Stream2Watch earns revenue through ads. In our experience, you’ll have to navigate through a couple of ads before getting to your sports games.
Stream2Watch’s ads are not that intrusive compared to those on other free sports streaming websites, especially when you consider the streaming quality. Still, we recommend using a good ad-blocker to reduce the number of annoying ads.
Another advantage of Stream2Watch is minimal redirection. The site features embedded streams, so you won’t have numerous windows and tabs popping up. It also provides a schedule of upcoming sports games, which can be useful for keeping up-to-date with everything that’s happening in the world of sports.
Of course, Stream2Watch also has disadvantages. Apart from ads and potential security threats, there’s also the question of its legality.
Is Stream2Watch Legal?
Free 24/7 access to live sports events sounds a bit too good to be true, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. Similar to other free streaming websites, like 123Movies and Putlocker, Stream2Watch could be illegal in your country.
Stream2Watch distributes copyrighted content without owning the necessary rights to it. This is the essence of copyright infringement and online piracy.
Stream2Watch uses a nifty loophole since it only embeds videos from other hosts. They don’t upload, host, or control any of the pirated content. This makes them harder to punish but doesn’t change the fact that you’re watching pirated sports channels.
Bottom line is, the legality of Stream2Watch depends on your local jurisdiction. This is why it’s so important to always check your local copyright laws to ensure you’re safe.
What Consequences Can I Face for Using Stream2Watch?
The consequences of using pirated sports channels depend on your country. Usually, sports enthusiasts are rarely fined or prosecuted. The authorities are more concerned with the owners of the infringing websites.
However, the occasional crackdowns on illegal streaming have resulted in fines in the past. So while you’re not likely to end up in jail, using Stream2Watch could result in a hefty fine.
It all comes down to how seriously your country cracks down on sports live streaming. Some take this very seriously, while others are more permissive. We recommend that you check how your country treats copyright infringement before using a site like Stream2Watch to stream sports and movies for free.
The stances of some countries towards piracy are captured in the table below:
| Stance on piracy | Countries |
|---|---|
| Pirating is legal or allowed (for personal use) | Belarus, Spain, Switzerland |
| Pirating is illegal | Australia, China, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, United States |
| Pirating is illegal, but individuals are not actively prosecuted | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Iran, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Uruguay |
NOTE: Even if you live in a country that is permissive towards piracy, we would not recommend using live-streaming websites like Stream2Watch. Not only could you end up in legal trouble, but it’s also unethical as using these sites denies copyright holders of profits/royalties they are rightfully entitled to.
How to Safely Use Stream2Watch
Streaming websites are infamous for hosting trojans, adware, and other types of malware. Your activity on these sites can also be monitored by your ISP, the government, or even malicious hackers.
It’s essential to get a good set of security tools that will keep you safe from prying eyes and cyber attacks. Therefore we recommend that you:
- Use good antivirus software like Bitdefender to detect and eliminate any potential threats that may infect your computer on these websites.
- Encrypt your connection using a virtual private network (VPN), such as NordVPN, to protect your identity and location when browsing live streaming websites like Stream2Watch.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
NordVPN is our highest-ranked VPN provider. It’ll ensure a safe and seamless live streaming experience, thanks to its blazing fast speeds, extensive network of servers, and strong unblocking capabilities.
If you’re looking for cheaper options that’ll still keep you safe, we can also recommend:
- Surfshark: For one of the lowest monthly costs, you’ll get the fastest VPN on the market. Surfshark also features airtight security and supports unlimited simultaneous connections. Apart from securing your sports channels, your entire family can enjoy complete security on all the devices in your household.
- CyberGhost: This is the most beginner-friendly VPN out there. It also allows you to enjoy lag-free live sports streaming on the cheap. If you’ve never used a VPN before, CyberGhost is the right tool for you.
The 14 Best Stream2Watch Alternatives
You might be wondering if there are any legal Stream2Watch alternatives. There are many sites where you can watch live sports for a subscription fee. These are entirely legal and also ethical. We’ve provided a list of some legal Stream2Watch alternatives below. We’ve also listed some unofficial alternatives for those of you who happen to live in nations that are more tolerant of piracy.
Legal Stream2Watch alternatives
The last few years have seen the emergence of websites and apps dedicated primarily to sports streaming. Some of the best ones, in no particular order, are:
1. Hotstar
Hotstar is an Indian streaming service launched by Star India back in 2015. It was acquired by Disney in 2019 and integrated with Disney+ in 2020. Apart from content drawn from Walt Disney Studios, Hotstar features plenty of live sports channels.
You can watch cricket, football, hockey, kabaddi, martial arts, American football, tennis, Khelo India, Formula E, and athletics. You can also catch the latest sports updates and follow live results.
Hotstar is a premium service and there are two packages to choose from:
- Premium (₹299/month ≈ $3.60): Up to four devices, 2160p max, ad-free (except sports)
- Super (₹899/year ≈ $11.00): Up to two devices, 1080p max, ads
The good news is that you’ll have access to the entire Hotstar library, regardless of your subscription tier. Since you can’t remove ads from live sports streams, we recommend going with the Super package.
2. ESPN
ESPN is a renowned sports channel that can be accessed through basic cable. It was launched in 1979 and is currently owned jointly by Disney and Hearst Communications.
ESPN allows you to follow all American and international sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, soccer, MLB, college football, and much more. It also boasts a stellar crew of analysts, which provide great insights, commentary, and analyses.
At the moment, you can get ESPN through AT&T U-verse, Spectrum, COX, DirecTV, Dish, Hulu, Optimum, SlingTV, Verizon, Xfinity, and YouTubeTV. If you wish to go beyond basic ESPN, you can subscribe to ESPN+ for $9.99/month. You can also bundle it with Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) for $12.99/month.
ESPN+ offers the following perks:
- Thousands of live events, studio shows, and series not available on basic ESPN
- The ability to purchase tickets for UFC PPV events
- Access to the archive of on-demand content (the 30 For 30 library, ESPN films, game replays, and more)
- You can restart, pause or rewind anything you’re watching.
Note that ESPN+ doesn’t replace ESPN. It’s there to complement the main channel. At the moment, ESPN+ is only available in the US, so you’ll need a VPN to watch it from other countries.
3. YouTube
YouTubeTV was designed to replace your cable subscription completely or “cut the cord,” as they would say. It allows you to create the ultimate package of sports channels paired with a lot of modern features.
At the moment, the YouTubeTV subscription includes NFL, NBA, and MLB networks. The available sports add-ons include beIN SPORTS, Billiard TV, FanDuel TV, Fight Network, Fox Soccer Plus, Impact Wrestling, MAVTV, NFL RedZone, and more. Apart from live sports, you can also enjoy 100+ entertainment and news channels like PBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and many more.
The base plan costs $64.99/month ($54.99 for the first three months) and offers the following perks:
- Unlimited DVR space + rewind, fast forward, and pause capability
- No annual contracts
- three streams and six accounts per household
- No installation fees
- Plenty of add-ons
Premium subscribers can also purchase the so-called “Spanish Plan” for an additional $15.99/month. If you only want the Spanish Plan, it’ll cost you $34.99/month ($24.99 for the first six months). Here, you’ll get 28+ Spanish networks of live sports, shows, and telenovelas.
4. BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer is a free video-on-demand service launched by BBC in 2007. It’s a UK-only platform so you’ll need a VPN to stream BBC iPlayer in other countries. It’s available in English, Scottish, Gaelic, Welsh, and Irish.
Apart from numerous British movies and TV shows, the platform features plenty of content for sports fans. This includes football, Formula 1, cricket, rugby, snooker, winter sports, darts, boxing, and much more. We particularly like the inclusion of the disability sports category. You can also watch highlights from sports events as well as documentaries about famous figures like Messi and Pele.
Finally, if podcasts are your thing, BBC iPlayer is offering 60+ (mostly football-related) podcasts at the moment. They range from transfer reactions and casual talks to in-depth analyses. It’s also one of the top Hesgoal alternatives for streaming live sports.
Unofficial Stream2Watch alternatives
The sites listed below are very similar to Stream2Watch, with some differences in functionality, features, and sports covered. Of course, our warnings on legality and safety apply to these sites, as well. We recommend you use a VPN and an antivirus program while streaming on these websites.
1. 123TV
123TV is perhaps the best Stream2Watch alternative out there. It’s what a web-based TV would look like. 123Tv’s best feature is that it hosts streams for more than 300 channels. This includes free sports streaming on platforms like ESPN, NBCSN, and NBA TV, as well as other TV channels such as Fox News and Animal Planet.
Its simple interface and vast selection make it a one-stop solution for anyone who wants to watch sports, movies, TV shows, or regular TV channels. There’s also a guide for each TV channel and we were particularly lucky to catch reruns of Futurama during our research for this guide.
123TV is a completely free service that only hosts links to third-party websites like Google, YouTube, and Dailymotion.
2. Sportsurge
Sportsurge offers external links to unofficial streams, much like Stream2Watch does. However, it’s a more reliable alternative because all the external streams are vetted by the community. There’s a smaller likelihood that you’ll end up on a broken link or a malicious site. Just be careful, since there are a lot of phishing attempts masquerading as Sportsurge.
The site is very simple to use and offers live streams of baseball, basketball, hockey, motor sports, MMA, football (NFL and CFB), boxing, and NCAAB. The platform is available in 150+ countries and also comes with a mobile app. The most common user complaint about Sportsurge is the absence of any soccer live streams, though.
3. FootyBite
This is one for the soccer fans out there. FootyBite is a free streaming site and the go-to for high-quality live streams of football games being played all over the world. All streams open on the website itself without any redirection.
You can enjoy FIFA World Cup, Premier League, UEFA, Bundesliga, Laliga, Serie A, and much more. Apart from soccer, FootyBite also features live streams of tennis, boxing, and UFC matches, as well as F1 and MotoGP races. There’s also a blog of sorts with news, in-depth analyses, predictions, and reactions.
Apart from live streams, you can watch videos and recaps, but also join relevant subreddits for specific games. There’s also a schedule of all available games for three days at a time.
4. Sportrar.tv
Sportrar.tv straddles the line between official and unofficial. Unlike the other Stream2Watch alternatives listed above, you can’t actually watch streams on Sportrar. Instead, it boasts a clean interface that lists different streams for a particular sports event. In other words, it acts as a library of sports streaming links.
You can find streams for several different sports, including football, tennis, basketball, ice hockey, baseball, volleyball, and more. You can browse live, finished, and upcoming games and never miss a single event. The “Other” tab is a bit more exotic and features links to eSports, darts, poker, snooker, snowboarding, Alpine skiing, badminton, water polo, and other underrepresented disciplines.
Another great thing about Sportrar.tv is the fact that it uses your timezone. Therefore, you won’t have to deal with any timezone calculations in order to catch your favorite games.
5. DaddyLiveHD
DaddyLiveHD is a great Stream2Watch alternative for live events from the US, and even Latin America and Europe. It’s free, the ad intrusion is minimal, and it features a great selection of sports events. People that used Stream2Watch to tune into the NBA, NCAA, NFL, soccer, boxing matches, and plenty more, will love DaddyLiveHD.
Apart from its sports streams, DaddyLiveHD also offers plenty of news, entertainment, and kids’ channels. These include Fox, ABC, Discovery, HBO, E! Entertainment, VH1, MTV, and others.
You can stream more than 310 channels at the moment. There’s also a complete schedule for upcoming sports events and TV show episodes. Just make sure you use a VPN, and only visit DaddyLiveHD if your local laws allow it.
6. Live TV
Live TV is a free website launched back in 2006. You can use it without creating an account, but if you do register, you’ll be able to create personalized playlists of sports events you’d like to watch. With an account, you can also comment and discuss what you watch with sports fans all over the world.
Live TV covers football, NBA, NHL, boxing, winter sports, and much more. There’s also a video archive with highlights from recent games. When you don’t have time to watch the game, you can also watch live scores that update every minute.
7. MamaHD
As the name suggests, MamaHD is one of the rare Stream2Watch alternatives that specializes in HD sports streams. As with many free streaming services, you’ll see some ads, but they won’t take away much from your enjoyment.
Apart from the sports live streams, you’ll also have access to ratings, highlights, replays, news, and much more. MamaHD covers pretty much every sport you can imagine, including American football, baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, and more. There are also some “exotic” options like futsal, darts, billiard, handball, and water polo.
8. LIVESPORT24
LIVESPORT24 is another free streaming service that provides links to content hosted by third parties. It covers a lot of different sports, including European football, NBA, NHL, tennis, UFC, and much more. You can also watch highlights from recent games that are uploaded daily.
Recently, the site has added a list of channels dedicated to all sports divisions you can think of. These include ATPWorldTour, beIN SPORTS, BT Sports, Bundesliga, COPA90, ESPN, Euro Football Daily, FIFA, Fox Sports, and many more.
Note that your adblocker or security-oriented browser extension might throw a trojan warning at you when visiting LIVESPORT24, but our research showed it to be a false alarm.
9. CricHD
CricHD is primarily focused on cricket but it also covers pretty much any sport you can think of. This includes some rare disciplines like darts and snooker. The site also allows you to stream plenty of sports channels, like BT Sport, Sky Sports, Start Sports, Willow, and many more. There’s also a comprehensive event schedule so you’ll never miss a single game.
10. BuffStream
BuffStream covers NFL, NBA, NHL, baseball, boxing, and UFC. Although not as diverse as other platforms on this list, BuffStream is definitely one of the most consistent ones. All streams can be accessed directly on the site without any redirections. The team behind BuffStream also has a Discord server you can join to discuss games and share your experiences.
For more Stream2Watch alternatives, check out our article on the best free sports streaming websites.
Stream Sports Online Safely
Remember: when it comes to online sports streaming, the best defense is a good VPN. Whether it’s to protect your identity when watching on a free streaming site or accessing blocked content, a VPN is your best bet. Having an antivirus is also key to ensuring that your device never gets infected.
And lastly, purchasing subscriptions to different sports broadcasting services can prove costly, but it’s probably your best bet if you want to stay up to date with live sports legally and ethically.
Disclaimer: None of the information provided above is legal advice. It is only for informational purposes. Please consult a local legal expert to better understand the ramifications of copyright infringement in your jurisdiction.
Do you have any questions that were left unanswered in the article? Check out the FAQ section below to see if your pressing questions have been answered there. If not, leave a comment!
Stream2Watch is one of the most popular sports streaming websites in the world. It provides free sports streaming for several sports, including basketball, baseball, American football, and soccer.
The short answer to this question is no. Stream2Watch makes copyrighted content available for consumption without the necessary permissions. This can make the website owners, as well as users, liable for copyright infringement.
The consequences you can face if you’re caught using Stream2Watch depend on the manner in which your country treats copyright infringement. Read more about Stream2Watch and its alternatives here.
Like most other free streaming websites, Stream2Watch depends on ad revenues for its sustenance. As a result, you’re likely to encounter several ads while using these sites. Some of these can lead to malicious content, including malware.
To protect yourself while using these free streaming sites, we recommend the use of a premium VPN.
The last couple of years have seen the release of several websites and apps dedicated to sports streaming. Some of the most popular legal sports streaming services are:
- Hotstar
- ESPN
- NBC Sports
For more Stream2Watch alternatives, check out our article that lists the best free sports streaming sites.
