The “free upgrade” is Sky Sports+, launched on 8 August 2024 and still included in 2026 for customers with a full Sky Sports Complete subscription. It is not a separate service or a new August 2026 launch. Eligible customers pay no additional Sky Sports+ fee, while customers on a single-sport pack may need to upgrade to Complete.
Sky Sports+ adds a dedicated channel, extra live-event streams, broader EFL coverage and more on-demand programming. The headline’s “1,000s of hours” combines different claims: more than 1,000 EFL matches per season, hundreds of hours of live sport, and more than 1,000 hours of highlights, documentaries and other content advertised by NOW.
What Sky Sports+ adds
Sky Sports+ expands the existing Sky Sports service rather than replacing it. It combines a new linear channel with interactive streams and additional programming across Sky’s television platforms, NOW and the Sky Sports app.
- A dedicated Sky Sports+ channel carrying a curated selection of live events.
- Additional simultaneous streams for fixtures that cannot all fit on the traditional channels.
- Expanded coverage of the EFL Championship, League One and League Two.
- Men’s Super League, ATP and WTA tennis (including the US Open), PGA Tour golf and other live events.
- Sports documentaries, selected catch-up programmes and early access to some Sky sports productions.
Sky has described a technical capacity of up to 100 live events at once. That is a system capability, not a promise that 100 events are available every day or on every device. Sky’s launch description explains the stream-based model.
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Who receives Sky Sports+ at no extra cost?
| Customer or membership | Sky Sports+ position |
|---|---|
| Sky Sports Complete | Included automatically at no separate charge. |
| Individual Sky Sports pack (such as Football, F1, Golf, Cricket, Action or Premier League) | Not included automatically; upgrade to Sky Sports Complete is required. |
| Sky+ with the full Sky Sports subscription | Sky Sports+ channel included, but the additional streams are not supported on the Sky+ box. |
| Sky Glass, Sky Stream or Sky Q with Sky Sports Complete | Integrated into the relevant Sky interface, subject to device features. |
| NOW Sports Day or Sports Month Membership | Sky Sports+ streams are included with the membership. |
| No Sky Sports or NOW membership | A Sky Sports or NOW membership must be purchased first. |
Sky’s current terms restrict the service to residential customers in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. See the Sky Sports+ eligibility page for the applicable subscription wording.
What does “1,000s of hours” actually refer to?
There is no single official measurement called “thousands of hours of extra live sport.” The underlying figures describe different types of content.
More than 1,000 EFL matches
Sky’s original commitment was more than 1,000 EFL matches per season across the Championship, League One and League Two. Every EFL team was expected to appear more than 20 times, with every Championship club appearing at least 24 times. This is a match count, not an hour count, and many games are delivered as streams rather than conventional channels.
Hundreds of hours of live sport
The August 2024 launch announcement described hundreds of hours of live sport and said the service would provide more than 50% more live sport than before. It also highlighted four times as many EFL matches, including about 100 EFL matches in August 2024 and every Championship, League One and League Two match on the 2024/25 opening weekend. These are launch-era commitments, not a guarantee of a fixed number for every later season. Sky’s 8 August 2024 announcement gives that context.
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More than 1,000 hours on NOW
NOW currently describes more than 1,000 hours of highlights, documentaries and other content alongside its live sports offering. That on-demand figure should not be presented as 1,000 hours of additional live matches. NOW’s membership information sets out the content description.
How to find Sky Sports+ on each platform
Sky Glass and Sky Stream
Open the Sky Sports area on the television interface. The dedicated channel and available event streams appear in the sports menus and event listings.
Sky Q
The Sky Sports+ channel is available through the channel guide. Additional fixtures are selected through the Sky Sports experience and compatible interactive or app features.
Sky+
Qualifying Sky+ customers receive the dedicated channel, but the older Sky+ box cannot play the additional live streams. Use the Sky Sports mobile app on a compatible phone or tablet for those streams. Sky may offer some customers a no-cost move to Sky Q; that hardware offer is separate from the subscription entitlement.
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- Enjoy the show in 4K Ultra HD, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and immersive Dolby Atmos audio.
NOW
Sports Day and Sports Month Memberships include all 12 Sky Sports channels, Sky Sports+ streams and selected on-demand content. Streams are accessed in the NOW app on supported devices.
Mobile app
Sign in to the Sky Sports app using the account linked to the qualifying subscription and open the relevant event centre. Sky says up to six users can log in, but only two fixtures may be streamed simultaneously.
Do existing qualifying customers need to order anything?
No. Sky says Sky Sports+ is automatically added for customers who already have Sky Sports Complete. If it is not visible, check the Sky Sports section rather than only the standard channel list, restart or refresh the box or app, and confirm that the account really has Complete rather than an individual sports pack. On mobile, update the Sky Sports app and sign in again.
Recently changed subscriptions may take time to update. If the missing item is an additional stream on a Sky+ box, that is a device limitation rather than an activation fault.
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What does it cost?
Sky Sports Complete
Sky’s displayed sales page, checked in August 2026, showed an offer of £22 extra per month on a 24-month minimum term. The same page showed standard pricing thereafter of £38 extra per month for Sky Q and £35 extra per month for Sky Stream or Sky Glass. Sky says prices can change during the minimum term, and the displayed offer is not available to existing Sky Sports subscribers. Treat these as current page-specific price signals, not a universal quote for every account. The official buying page is sky.com/tv/sports.
NOW Sports Membership
| Option | Price shown | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Day | £14.99 for 24 hours | Occasional events without a long contract. |
| Sports Month | £34.99 per month | Flexible monthly access. |
| Boost | £6 per month | Improved picture, sound and device features where supported. |
| Ultra Boost | £9 per month | Higher-tier picture, sound and simultaneous-device features where supported. |
Membership details and availability are listed by NOW. Boost options add to the membership price and are not required to obtain the Sky Sports+ streams.
Important limitations
- Individual packs do not qualify automatically: someone who only pays for F1, Golf, Cricket, Football, Action or Premier League coverage may see the “free upgrade” wording but still need Complete.
- Sky+ cannot carry every stream: the channel works, while extra streams require the mobile app or another supported device.
- Two simultaneous app fixtures: six app logins do not mean six concurrent streams.
- Not every competition is included: NOW says its Sports Membership excludes UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League matches, which are shown on TNT Sports instead.
- Channel versus stream: the linear Sky Sports+ channel is a curated feed; it is not a channel showing every event that is simultaneously available online.
Internet and picture-quality requirements
Sky’s current guidance recommends approximately 3 Mbps for standard definition, 25 Mbps for HD and 30 Mbps for UHD. These are recommendations, not guarantees. Wi-Fi strength, household congestion, device capability and the individual stream affect the result. Ethernet or a stronger Wi-Fi signal can help when pictures buffer or drop in quality. On NOW, check whether Boost or Ultra Boost is needed for the desired quality and device combination.
When is Sky Sports+ worthwhile?
Strong fit
It is most valuable if you follow the EFL, want more rugby, tennis or golf, or regularly face overlapping fixtures and need a choice of streams. Existing Sky Sports Complete customers get that expansion without a separate Sky Sports+ charge.
Weak fit
If you watch only one sport, upgrading from an individual pack to the full package may cost more than the extra coverage is worth. A viewer whose priority is UEFA club football should also budget for the relevant broadcaster because Sky Sports+ and NOW Sports Membership are not complete substitutes for TNT Sports.
Choosing between Sky and NOW
Sky Sports Complete suits viewers who want a broad, integrated Sky setup on Sky Q, Sky Stream or Sky Glass. NOW Sports Day or Month is the more flexible route for people who do not want a long Sky television contract or installation, but picture-quality and multi-device upgrades can add to its cost.
Quick Recap
Troubleshooting a missing event or stream
- Check the account tier: it must be Sky Sports Complete, or an active NOW Sports Day or Month Membership.
- Look in the Sky Sports section, event centre or NOW sports menu; not every fixture appears in the ordinary channel list.
- Restart the box or app, update the app and sign in with the subscription-linked account.
- On Sky+, move to the Sky Sports app for additional streams because the box does not support them.
- If a match is still absent, check whether it is on a standard Sky Sports channel, subject to rights restrictions, outside the membership tier, or carried by TNT Sports or another broadcaster.
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