The Champions League has long been a staple midweek viewing for me. But, in recent years, my internet connection has struggled to match the standard of football it's trying to stream.

Whether it's throttling, congestion, or ISP peering causing my issues, I don't entirely know. That said, I've quickly found that a VPN has solved my issues almost entirely.

I've been using NordVPN to watch my beloved Chelsea since the beginning of their search for a third Champions League trophy. While the results on the pitch have left something to be desired, the results for my connection have been far more impressive.

Connecting to a local server, I've never found myself struggling for stream quality, nor have I seen my stream delayed so much that I see the goals in my phone notifications first.

Unlike other VPNs, I also rarely found my stream completely dropping out. While some of the best VPNs like Proton and Surfshark provide stiff competition in many other ways, I found my connection dropping more often with these providers when streaming on services such as TNT and Peacock.

Can you use a free VPN to watch the Champions League final?

Free VPNs come nowhere close to the best streaming VPNs you'd need to pay for. While yes, it's theoretically possible to watch the final with a free VPN, limitations in server network, data caps, and reduced streaming performance all make it more hassle than it's worth.

If you're wary of paying huge sums, the best cheap VPNs will prove far more effective. Surfshark starts from only $1.99 per month and will perform better than any free VPN on matchday.

Alternatively, consider picking up a one-month VPN plan. The likes of Proton VPN can give you a month of protection for only $10. Should you then choose to extend your plan, you can then pick up a deal on a longer option that works out to far less per month.