Watch Match TV Outside Russia with a VPN

Looking for a one-stop-shop for all your favorite sports, you say? Well, search no more. Match TV brings you all the action from the worlds of football, basketball, hockey, tennis, MMA, Formula One, and much more. That includes the Russian Premier League, the Champions League, NBA, and the NHL, to name a few.

Think of it as a set of Matryoshka dolls but for streaming, as it contains plenty of content inside. The only problem is that while you might find these Russian dolls outside the country, Match TV is restricted to Russian territories. If you attempt to access it from abroad, an error message will appear on your screen.

That’s because the sports streaming platform uses geo-blocking technology to prevent outsiders from watching its content. And the only way to bypass these restrictions is by acquiring a Russian IP address. Luckily, you don’t have to travel to the country to get one, thanks to the VPN.

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Content Overview

• About Match TV
• Match TV Russia-Restricted
• Bypass Geo-Blocks with a VPN
  • More VPN Benefits
  • VPN Installation
• Best VPN for Match TV
  • BulletVPN
  • Surfshark
• Final Thoughts

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What Is Match TV?

Match TV is a Russian free-to-air television channel that launched in 2015. It focuses on sports and healthy lifestyles and offers a wide range of local and international sports events. Moreover, it has a lineup of sports-related films, talk shows, documentaries, and news and entertainment programs.

Gazprom-Media, Russia’s leading media holding, owns the TV channel, following directives from President Vladimir Putin to create the platform. According to the parent company, Match TV covers 90% of the country’s sports events, with over 1,000 broadcasts per year. It is also the exclusive home to major European and international championships, like the Olympics, Euros, and FIFA World Cups.

All this content isn’t just available on TV. You can also watch it online via the Match TV website or mobile app, and for free as well. That’s great news for cord-cutters who enjoy streaming matches rather than watch them the old fashioned way. Gazprom-Media says that more than half of the Russian people get their sport dosage from Match TV’s digital platforms – matchtv.ru and the Match TV app.

Match TV’s Paid Subscriptions

Match TV’s free version gives you access to plenty of entertaining sports content, but it’s still a bit limited. To gain additional streaming freedom, you’ll need to subscribe to one of the platform’s paid plans. These will unlock many more tournaments, leagues, and channels, allowing you to enjoy an unmatched sports experience.

Match Prime

If you’re into Russian football, then Match Prime is your go-to destination. It offers everything there is on the Russian Premier League, including live games, news, and analysis. The channel also focuses on Russian teams’ involvement in the Champions League, Europa League, and Russian cups, not to mention coverage of Russia’s national football team at senior and youth levels.

Subscribers will also benefit from the latest news, analysis, and highlights from European football leagues like La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga.

SUBSCRIPTION PLAN	PRICE
One Month	RUB299 ($4.23)
One Year	RUB2,990 ($42.28)

Subscription renews automatically. You can cancel auto-renewal from your account settings.

Sport

Match TV’s Sport package bundles all major tournaments and competitions, from football, basketball, handball, and volleyball to athletics, swimming, cross-country, and motorsport. Not only will you be able to watch live matches, but you’ll also enjoy game analysis, news, and programs.

The Sport subscription plan gives you access to the following channels:

• Football 1, 2, and 3
• Fighter
• Arena
• A game
• Equestrian World

As for pricing, it costs a bit more than the Prime plan but also renews automatically. Go to your account to cancel auto-renewal.

SUBSCRIPTION PLAN	PRICE
One Month	RUB399 ($5.64)
One Year	RUB3,990 ($56.37)

Device Support

Since Match TV has digital platforms and allows online viewing, you can watch your favorite sports whenever and wherever you want. The website is accessible from any device, while the app is compatible with the following operating systems:

• Windows
• Mac
• iPhone
• iPad
• Apple TV
• Android

Match TV – Russia’s Home of Sports

Since its release in 2015, Match TV has seen its popularity skyrocket as it was the only service in Russia that only focused on sports. Furthermore, the streaming platform has exclusive broadcasting rights to almost every sport around the globe, making it a necessary stop for sports enthusiasts.

Here’s what you’ll enjoy when you subscribe to Match TV:

матч тв (Russian spelling) doesn’t just screen live matches, but also game analysis, news, documentaries, and sport-related movies.

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Match TV Russia-Restricted

Unfortunately for sports fans, the only place that allows you to stream all these competitions is Russia. Match TV is a Russian-based streaming service with exclusive rights to only broadcast sporting events inside the country. Due to these licensing issues, the platform uses geo-blocking technology to prevent out-of-market viewers from watching its content.

Thanks to your IP address, Match TV and other online services can detect your approximate location. Each country has a set of assigned IP addresses that local Internet service providers distribute to users. Once Match TV sees that your IP does not match Russia’s numerical labels, it will lock you out.

So instead of streaming videos, a geo-location error will appear on your screen. And it won’t be displayed in Russian alone. You’ll also get the chance to see it in English so that you can fully understand what it means.

“This video is unavailable in your country.”

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Unblock Match TV with a VPN

When it comes to Internet geo-restrictions, the root of your problem is your IP address. It reflects your actual whereabouts, which could go against you if you’re in the wrong broadcasting zone. Therefore, you need to change it to match the location of the streaming platform you’re trying to access.

In other words, if you wish to stream matches on Russian-based Match TV, you must have a Russian IP address. And the only way to do that is with a virtual private network. VPNs rechannel your traffic through their own server network, helping you avoid the ones your ISP uses. After you connect to a VPN server, your provider will grant you a new IP address that matches the location you selected.

That means if you want to switch to a Russian IP address, choose a VPN server in Russia. It works the same way for other region-restricted streaming platforms, as well. For example, connecting to a US VPN server will unblock the likes of ESPN+, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, Hulu, and HBO. Meanwhile, a VPN server from the UK will help you access BT Sport, Sky Go, and BBC iPlayer.

More VPN Benefits

Bypassing geo-blocks is just part of the VPN story. These tools offer a lot more, especially in terms of safeguarding your online wellbeing. Top providers implement premium security and privacy features, allowing you to surf the web anonymously. In short, this is what you’ll get when you subscribe to a VPN service:

• Data encryption: Reputable VPN services adopt the Advanced Encryption Standard with 256-bit keys, a military-grade algorithm that encrypts your entire traffic and prevents third parties from monitoring it.
• Kill switch: VPNs use private servers to redirect your traffic. But if they malfunction, your data will leak to your ISP’s servers where it can be compromised. To avoid this scenario, the kill switch disconnects you from the Internet if the VPN connection drops.
• Zero-logging policy: Your VPN provider must never keep logs of sensitive data like IP addresses or browsing history. Instead, it must erase these records from its servers so that no one can trace anything back to you.
• No censorship: You no longer have to suffer if your government bans certain websites or services. VPNs allow you to connect to distant servers and unblock the platforms you love.
• Torrent support: If you download movies, series, music, or other files using P2P networks, then using a VPN is critical. It protects you from legal action from copyright holders and prevents your ISP from throttling your Internet speed.

Install a VPN and Watch Match TV from Anywhere

Now that you are well-informed on VPNs and what they bring to the table, you must be wondering whether it would be easy to install one on your device. Well, elite providers have supported apps for the majority of operating systems. However, they are not compatible with Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and some routers.

To install one on your computer, smartphone, or tablet and watch Match TV, here’s what you need to do:

1. Sign up for a premium VPN service. You’ll need to provide a valid email address, choose a subscription plan, then select a payment method.
2. Then, download and install the app from Google Play, the App Store, or directly from the VPN website.
3. VPN apps are compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac. Some also have apps for Linux and Kindle Fire devices.
4. Now, open the VPN app, sign in, and connect to a server in Russia.
5. Stream your favorite matches no matter where you are.

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Best VPN for Match TV

Choosing the right VPN service is always tricky business. Not all brands offer the above features, and some of them can even wreak havoc to your online privacy and security. For instance, free VPNs make money by collecting and selling your sensitive data to advertisers. Some of them also don’t use any encryption algorithm, while others might contain malware.

Therefore, we advise you to stick to paid providers. But the fact that you’re connecting to a VPN server in Russia could be troublesome. Moscow cracked down on VPN companies a couple of years ago, banning any tool that helps users bypass online censorship. As a result, several brands pulled their servers from the country. Among them were industry leaders ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

So if you want to stream Match TV from abroad, you have to search for a VPN service that isn’t on Roskomnadzor‘s (Russia’s online regulator) blacklist.

Alternatively, you can choose one of our top Russia VPN recommendations.

BulletVPN

The best VPN to unblock Match TV outside Russia is BulletVPN. It has three servers inside Russian territories – one in Moscow and two in Saint Petersburg. That means you can use this service to watch your favorite sports no matter where you are. And another excellent feature is that BulletVPN delivers fast speed rates that are ideal for streaming.

Furthermore, the Estonia-based VPN offers first-grade security and privacy ingredients, like AES encryption with 256-bit keys. Hackers, ISPs, and most importantly, government agencies won’t be able to monitor your online location or pinpoint your location. BulletVPN also follows a strict no-logging policy, erasing your IP address and browsing history from its servers.

You can enable the kill switch for extra security in case the VPN connection drops. It works jointly with BulletShield, an optional feature that won’t allow you to access the Internet unless you connect to a BulletVPN server.

The provider isn’t just handy for watching Match TV. It can also bypass the geo-blocks that other streaming platforms impose, despite the VPN IP address ban. In fact, it is one of the few services that can unblock DStv, Showmax, and TVNZ. Moreover, it supports torrenting and P2P activities.

In addition to all the above, BulletVPN has a 24/7 customer support service and a 30-day refund policy. You can also use it on six simultaneous devices.

Find out more about BulletVPN by reading this review.

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Surfshark

Another VPN service with servers inside Russia is Surfshark. And just like BulletVPN, it has a presence in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. It is based in the British Virgin Islands, outside intrusive, data-retaining jurisdictions. In addition to the Russian servers, Surfshark operates a network of 1,700+ servers across 63 countries. These will help you switch to thousands of IP addresses, thus unblocking Match TV and other webs services.

Surfshark implements a no-logs policy and uses AES-256 encryption. It offers a built-in kill switch that is enabled by default if you’re using iOS or macOS apps. Other privacy and security options include an ad-blocker, MultiHop (double VPN), and Camouflage Mode, which hides the fact you’re using a VPN.

Furthermore, Surfshark allows you to connect as many devices you’d like concurrently with just one account. It also has a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscribers.

Read our Surfshark review for more information.

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Watch Match TV from Anywhere – Final Words

Match TV is Russia’s exclusive home to local and international sports events. That includes major competitions in football, basketball, tennis, athletics, motorsport, and many more. The streaming platform is available for free, but at the same time features two paid subscription plans for unlimited access.

However, Match TV is only available inside Russia. To bypass online restrictions while you’re abroad, get yourself a reputable VPN service that still operates servers in the country.

Do you tune in to Match TV to watch local Russian sports or international competitions? Share your thoughts below.