ESPN+ says "not available in your region" even with my VPN on. What now?

Go through this in order: confirm DNS leak protection is on, try a different US server, open a private window, and make sure you're fully signed in. If all four are in place and it's still failing, the server's IP is on ESPN+'s blocked list. Try two or three other US cities before assuming something more serious is wrong.

Which US cities work best for ESPN+?

New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are the most reliable in our testing. If all three are blocked, try Dallas, Miami, or Seattle. Avoid servers labelled as "P2P" or "torrenting" optimised: those IP addresses tend to get blocked by streaming services faster.

Can I watch the Disney bundle (ESPN+, Hulu, Disney+) abroad?

Yes. All three services work with a single US VPN connection. The same setup that works for ESPN+ works for Hulu and Disney+: US server, DNS leak protection on, private window. The bundle is cheaper than subscribing to all three separately.

My VPN is connected but the ESPN app says I'm not in the US. Why?

The app is probably caching your previous location. Close ESPN completely, confirm your VPN is on a US server, then reopen it. If that doesn't fix it, clear the app's cache: on Android, go to Settings > Apps > ESPN > Clear Cache. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find ESPN, and tap Offload App. Reinstalling the app works too if clearing the cache doesn't sort it.

Does ESPN+ work with UK Disney+?

Not directly. UK Disney+ includes an ESPN hub with some US sports, but it's not the full ESPN+ service. To access the complete ESPN+ catalogue including UFC PPV and the full NFL and MLB libraries, you need a US ESPN+ account and a VPN connected to a US server.

Which VPN works best for ESPN+?

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are our top picks. Both have large US server pools and reliable built-in DNS leak protection, which matters more for ESPN+ than most services. If you're watching UFC PPV live, ExpressVPN's connection stability makes it a particularly good choice.

ESPN+ VPN Not Working? Quick Fixes That Work

ESPN+ is only available in the United States, so watching from the UK or anywhere else abroad means using a VPN connected to a US server. ESPN+ is stricter than most streaming services because it checks your DNS requests as well as your IP address, which is why some VPNs that work fine elsewhere struggle here. Most people are watching again after the first two fixes below.

Connect to a US server and enable DNS leak protection

Open your VPN app, connect to a US server, and check that DNS leak protection is switched on before opening ESPN+. ESPN+ verifies your location in two ways: your IP address and your DNS requests. A VPN that only masks your IP but lets DNS requests go through your regular internet provider will still get blocked. DNS leak protection routes those requests through the VPN too, and ESPN+ can't tell you're outside the US.

In NordVPN, DNS leak protection is in Settings > Connection and is on by default. In ExpressVPN, it's handled automatically when you connect. New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are the most reliable US cities for ESPN+. Once connected, use our IP address checker to confirm your VPN is showing a US location before opening ESPN+.

ESPN+ loading successfully from the UK after connecting to a New York VPN server — ESPN+ loading normally from the UK after connecting to a New York VPN server.

Switch to a different US server if you're still blocked

If ESPN+ shows a location error after connecting, the server you're on has likely been flagged. Switch to a different US server and try again. ESPN+ updates its blocked IP list regularly, so a server that worked last week may not work today. Try two or three cities before moving on: New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are the best starting points, and Dallas or Miami are good backups if all three are blocked.

If your VPN has streaming-optimised servers, start with those: they're kept specifically to beat streaming blocks. Our guide to switching VPN servers has the steps for each major app.

Clear cookies and open a private window

If you've been to ESPN+ or the Disney site before without a VPN, your browser has stored cookies that can include your real location. Even with your VPN connected, those old cookies can cause playback to fail.

Connect your VPN first, then open a private window (Incognito in Chrome and Edge, Private Browsing in Firefox and Safari) and go to espnplus.com. Private windows start fresh with no stored data, so ESPN+ can only see your current US connection. The order matters: VPN on, then private window, then ESPN+.

If ESPN+ works in a private window but not your regular browser, clearing cookies fixes it for good:

Chrome / Edge: three-dot menu SettingsPrivacy and securityClear browsing data, tick Cookies, set range to All time
Firefox: hamburger menu SettingsPrivacy & SecurityClear Data
Safari (Mac): SafariSettingsPrivacyManage Website Data
Safari (iPhone/iPad): open the Settings app AppsSafariClear History and Website Data

Try the ESPN app instead of the browser

If the browser isn't working, try the ESPN app. For live events especially, the app tends to be more stable. Make sure you're using the full VPN app on your device, not just a browser extension: extensions only cover traffic inside the browser and won't protect the ESPN app.

The ESPN app may not appear in your regional App Store or Play Store outside the US. If it's missing, you'll need to switch your store region to the US to download it. On iOS, a US Apple ID is the most reliable way to do this.

ESPN+ on smart TVs and consoles

The ESPN app is available on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox. For streaming sticks and Apple TV, install your VPN app, connect to a US server, then launch ESPN. Consoles don't support VPN apps, so the easiest option there is setting up the VPN on your home router: everything connected to it then goes through a US connection automatically.

For smart TVs running Samsung Tizen or LG webOS, use a router VPN or share your laptop's VPN connection as a wi-fi hotspot and connect the TV to that.

Watching UFC from outside the US

UFC is no longer on ESPN+. As of 2026, the UFC moved to Paramount+ under a new deal, and all events including numbered PPV cards are included in a standard Paramount+ subscription with no extra charge. If UFC is what you're after, ESPN+ isn't the right destination anymore.

Paramount+ is also US-only outside a handful of markets, so watching UFC from the UK still requires a VPN connected to a US server. The same principles apply: US server, check your IP, private window. For live events on any streaming service, turning on your VPN's Kill Switch is worth doing: if the VPN drops and reconnects mid-fight, the service detects the IP change and cuts the stream. The kill switch pauses your internet completely until the VPN reconnects, preventing that.

What's on ESPN+ and what UK viewers already have

The full ESPN+ catalogue covers NFL games, NHL, MLB, La Liga, the Bundesliga, college football and basketball, and a wide catalogue of combat sports and boxing. UFC moved to Paramount+ in 2026 and is no longer part of ESPN+.

UK viewers with Disney+ already get some ESPN content through the ESPN hub: La Liga Saturday matches, the UEFA Women's Champions League, and NCAA March Madness are all included. In 2026 March Madness was also free on DAZN in the UK. Sky Sports holds the rights to NCAA college football in the UK. If any of those is what you need, you may already have it without a VPN.

The account barrier for new UK subscribers

ESPN+ requires a US payment method to subscribe. If you already have a US ESPN+ account, it works fine from abroad as long as you're connected to a US server. If you're signing up fresh from the UK, you'll need a US credit card, a US PayPal account, or a US iTunes or Google Play account. This is the trickiest part for new subscribers, and it's separate from the VPN setup.

Error messages explained

"This content is not available in your location" means ESPN+ has detected a non-US connection. Try a different US server, make sure DNS leak protection is on, and open ESPN+ in a fresh private window.

"You need a subscription to watch this" on content you've paid for usually means your account session has expired. Sign out, sign back in on the US server, and try again.

Video that starts then immediately cuts out is usually a mid-stream location check. This is more common on live events. Switch to a different US server and restart the stream.