To watch ESPN with Disney Plus, you need a Disney+ subscription and access to ESPN through a Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Bundle or a standalone ESPN subscription like ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited. The specific ESPN content you can watch inside the Disney+ app depends entirely on which of these two subscription tiers you choose.
What you need to watch ESPN with Disney Plus
You need two things: a Disney+ subscription and an ESPN subscription that is linked to your Disney+ account. There are two main ESPN subscription tiers that integrate with Disney+. ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content like college football, NHL, tennis, soccer, MMA, and ESPN Films and Originals. ESPN Unlimited includes all ESPN Select content plus live access to all of ESPN's networks and services, such as ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, NFL Network, SEC Network, and ESPN on ABC sporting events. The most straightforward way to get both is through the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Bundle. The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle costs $35.99/month (with ads on Disney+/Hulu) or $44.99/month (no ads on Disney+/Hulu). The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle costs $21.99/month (with ads on Disney+/Hulu) or $32.99/month (no ads on Disney+/Hulu). To access ESPN content within the Disney+ app, your ESPN subscription must be linked to your Disney+ account using the same email address.
How to sign up for the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Bundle
You can sign up for the bundle directly on the Disney+ website. There is no single app for the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Bundle; you will need to download each app separately, but use the same email address to log in to each.
- Go to the Disney+ website and select the option to sign up for a new account.
- Choose the bundle tier that fits your needs: the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle or the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle.
- Complete the payment process to finalize your subscription.
How to link your ESPN subscription to Disney Plus
The essential step to watch ESPN content inside the Disney+ app is ensuring both subscriptions use the same email address. Whether you subscribed through the bundle or a standalone ESPN subscription, your ESPN access must be tied to the email you use for Disney+. If you already have separate accounts with different emails, you will need to update one to match the other. Once the emails are identical, the ESPN content will automatically appear in your Disney+ app.
How to find and watch live ESPN events on Disney Plus
Once your accounts are linked, watching live sports is straightforward. Open Disney+ and select the ESPN icon on the navigation bar at the top of the homepage. You can also find select ESPN content by using the Search feature or browsing different rows on the Disney+ homepage. Once in the ESPN hub, you can filter content by Sports, Teams, Leagues, and Tournament pages. The specific ESPN content available to you on Disney+ depends on your subscription plan (ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited). If you want to watch FS1, you need the ESPN Unlimited tier, as it includes access to networks like NFL Network and SEC Network. If your goal is to watch NFL games, the ESPN Unlimited subscription gives you live access to NFL Network alongside other ESPN channels.
Watching ESPN without the full bundle
Disney+ subscribers without an ESPN subscription will still have access to a sampling of ESPN content, including SC+ (a daily SportsCenter show) and Vibe Check. This free content is available to all Disney+ subscribers and provides a taste of the sports programming available if you decide to upgrade.
Enabling parental controls for live sports
Parental control settings from Disney+ apply to ESPN content, but to watch unrated live sports, the "Not Rated & Live Content" toggle must be enabled in profile settings. Without this toggle turned on, live ESPN streams that lack a standard content rating may be blocked. To enable it, go to your profile settings within Disney+ and switch the "Not Rated & Live Content" setting to on.
Compatible devices for streaming ESPN on Disney Plus
You need a supported streaming device and a high-speed internet connection to watch ESPN content on Disney+. The Disney+ app is available on a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, streaming sticks like Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick, mobile devices (iOS and Android), gaming consoles like Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and computers through a compatible web browser. If you have a Chromecast device, you can cast ESPN from the Disney+ app on your mobile device or computer to your TV, and optimizing your home network with essential internet tricks for the modern user can help prevent buffering during live games.
Troubleshooting common issues
If you experience buffering or poor video quality, check your internet connection and ensure you have sufficient bandwidth. For audio or video sync problems, try refreshing the page or restarting the Disney+ app. If you encounter login errors, double-check that you are using the same email address for both your Disney+ and ESPN subscriptions. Blackout restrictions may apply to certain live sporting events on ESPN via Disney+, so if a specific game is unavailable, it may be due to regional broadcast rules. For persistent issues, contact Disney+ customer support.
