How to watch the England game

by John Fitzsimons on 06 October 2009  |  1 comment
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You won’t find this weekend’s England-Ukraine match on any TV channel – it’s only available on pay-per-view on the internet!

If you are hoping to watch the England versus Ukraine World Cup Qualifier this Saturday, then don't bother with your TV - none of the usual suspects have the rights to show the game.

The match was initially scheduled to be shown on Setanta. However, that particular broadcaster disappeared from our screens earlier this year in a blaze of bankruptcy.

And with the usual suspects of the BBC, ITV, Sky Sports and even Five unwilling to pay out for what is a pretty meaningless game (as England have already qualified), the Ukrainian FA have decided to sell the rights to internet company Perform (as the game is in Ukraine, they have the say on who gets to show the match).

So how do you go about watching the game?

If you go to the official site for the match, then you can buy a live pass for £4.99, so long as you do so before Thursday 8th October. After that point, you will have to pay £11.99.

A host of British newspapers will be showing the match via that connection, including The Times and The Daily Telegraph, so if you would rather go through their sites, you have the option to do so.

Of course, you will also need to have a suitable internet connection. Most experts agree that to watch the entire match will use around 1GB of a broadband user's download allowance. This isn't a huge amount, but if you are one of those users that do not have an unlimited download package, then it pays to be aware of how much it will take up, as you may exceed your allowance.

There are a few other things you should do to ensure you get the best viewing experience

• Don't connect wirelessly - connect directly to your router using a cable, as it will ensure the strongest possible connection.
• Close down all other programmes or applications running in the background, such as Outlook or any instant messenger programme.
• Ensure your computer is the only machine using the connection as other users will eat into the bandwidth and slow you down.