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How to watch Argentina vs Benin live on Premier Sports in the UK

Lionel Messi's Argentina farewell against Benin is a middle-of-the-night watch in Britain, and Premier Sports is the exclusive UK and Ireland home of the broadcast. Here is how to see it live on TV and stream.

Lionel Messi celebrates a goal for Argentina against Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup. Photo: Кирилл Венедиктов / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Lionel Messi celebrates a goal for Argentina against Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup. Photo: Кирилл Венедиктов / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Quick answer

Watch Argentina vs Benin live on Premier Sports 2 in the UK on Tuesday 6 October 2026. Premier Sports holds the exclusive rights in Britain and Ireland for all three of Argentina's October friendlies — including Lionel Messi’s farewell against Benin — and streams the channels live on the Premier Sports Player for subscribers. Kickoff is 20:00 in Buenos Aires (23:00 UTC), which is midnight — 00:00 BST on Wednesday 7 October — in the UK.

Which Premier Sports channel will show Argentina vs Benin?

Premier Sports has confirmed it will screen Argentina’s three October internationals — against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin — exclusively in the UK and Ireland, and the Benin game on 6 October is the one being billed as Messi’s final appearance in an Argentina shirt. For Britain, the match is listed on Premier Sports 2, the broadcaster’s second channel, which is where much of its South American and international football sits.

Channel listings can shift between Premier Sports 1 and 2 on the day, so it is worth checking the on-screen TV guide or the schedule on the Premier Sports website on the evening of 6 October. Expect full build-up coverage — a farewell for an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, in a sold-out 84,567-capacity Monumental, is exactly the kind of night Premier Sports will treat as an event.

How to stream Argentina vs Benin on the Premier Sports Player

If you would rather not watch on a set-top box — sensible, given the midnight kickoff — the Premier Sports Player streams the channels live online. Sign in with your Premier Sports subscription and the match is available on phones, tablets, laptops and smart TVs, on the same feed as the TV broadcast.

The Player is included with a Premier Sports subscription, so there is no separate pay-per-view to buy. One practical note for a 00:00 kickoff: the app is the easiest way to watch from bed, but make sure you are signed in and the stream is tested before the whistle, not after it.

What time does Argentina vs Benin start in the UK and Ireland?

Kickoff is Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 20:00 in Buenos Aires (23:00 UTC). Britain and Ireland are both on summer time that week — BST in the UK and IST in Ireland, both UTC+1 — so the match starts at 00:00 on Wednesday 7 October in both countries.

This is the classic trap of South American friendlies for British viewers: the diary says Tuesday, but the whistle blows after midnight. Set an alarm for 11:50 PM on the 6th, not a reminder for Tuesday evening — and if you record it, pad the recording well past full time, because a farewell ceremony can run long.

Do you need a subscription to watch on Premier Sports?

Yes. Premier Sports is a subscription service in the UK and Ireland, with monthly packages reported to start from £13.99. There is no free legal way to watch Argentina vs Benin in Britain — it is not on the BBC, ITV or any free-to-air channel.

Do not go near pirate streams for this one. They are illegal, they collapse at the worst moments, and a once-in-a-lifetime farewell watched through a buffering pop-up farm is a miserable way to say goodbye to the greatest player of his generation. Sort the subscription before matchday.

Key takeaways

  • Argentina vs Benin — Messi’s farewell — is live and exclusive on Premier Sports in the UK and Ireland on 6 October 2026.
  • UK viewers: Premier Sports 2 (check listings on the day); Ireland: the main Premier Sports channel.
  • Stream it on the Premier Sports Player with an active subscription.
  • Kickoff is 20:00 Buenos Aires (23:00 UTC) — midnight, 00:00 BST on Wednesday 7 October in the UK and Ireland.
  • A subscription (reported from £13.99/month) is required; there is no free legal UK broadcast.

Don't miss Messi's last dance

This is the last time Lionel Messi wears the Argentina shirt: 207 caps, 125 goals, a World Cup and two Copas América, ending in front of 85,000 people at the Monumental. If you are in Britain or Ireland, Premier Sports is the only place to watch it live — get the subscription sorted before matchday, set the alarm for midnight, and check our full country-by-country TV guide if you will be anywhere else. On the night, follow the live score with us.

Questions people ask

What channel is Argentina vs Benin on in the UK?

Premier Sports 2 is the listed UK channel for Argentina vs Benin on 6 October. Listings can move between Premier Sports 1 and 2 on the day, so check the on-screen guide or the Premier Sports website that evening before the midnight kickoff.

What time does Argentina vs Benin kick off in the UK?

Kickoff is 20:00 in Buenos Aires (23:00 UTC), which is midnight in the UK — 00:00 BST on Wednesday 7 October. Britain is on British Summer Time (UTC+1) that week, so set the alarm rather than the diary.

Can I stream Argentina vs Benin on the Premier Sports Player?

Yes. The Premier Sports Player carries the channels live online for subscribers, so you can watch on a phone, tablet, laptop or smart TV. Sign in with your Premier Sports account and pick the listed channel on match night.

Is Argentina vs Benin free on Premier Sports?

No. Premier Sports is a subscription service, with packages reported to start from £13.99 a month. There is no free legal way to watch the match in the UK — avoid pirate streams, which are unreliable and illegal.

Is the match on Premier Sports in Ireland too?

Yes. Premier Sports holds the rights for both the UK and Ireland, with Ireland listed on the main Premier Sports channel. Irish viewers are on IST (UTC+1) too, so kickoff is also midnight — 00:00 on Wednesday 7 October.

Will Messi play against Benin?

Yes. The 6 October friendly against Benin at the Más Monumental is being billed as Lionel Messi's final appearance for Argentina. He is due to join the squad on 4 October after the Burkina Faso game.