Is Hesgoal still around?
- As of September 2025, dozens of illegal Hesgoal domains can be found - these type of domains are usually caught by the DMCA net but some manage to escape and respawn to new domains
- WherestheMatch.com DOES NOT supply any illegal streams - any links off this page will take you to the legal TV rights owners of upcoming live games, not via pirated streams such as Hesgoal
Why do football fans still use Hesgoal sites if they know it's illegal?
Despite a fine and a jail sentence being handed to the owners of Hesgoal.com, fans still continue to watch live football on other websites carrying the Hesgoal name. With cost of living soaring in the UK, football fans continue to look for a free way of watching the match rather than paying out for subscriptions to official broadcasters.
During a typical match on a weekend, millions of football fans in the UK make use of these free streams - this usually means live access to Premier League and UEFA Champions League games.
The Problems with using illegal streams
The growth of free football streams has put major financial constraints on the official broadcasters around the world who pay millions of pounds for the live rights to show in the UK and are constantly threatening legal action against such streamers - despite this ongoing battle between broadcasters and streamers, it hasn't stopped the emergence of them as they regularly respawn as quickly as they are taken down.
Due to the rise in pay-per-view subscription fees (ironically these fees rise because watching illegally actually forces broadcaster prices up), many users have turned their attentions to free streams.
However, even free streams have mounting costs. This has resulted in some football streaming websites creating a monthly subscription or membership fee. Hesgoal remains free, but they do have advertising placed on their website to recoup these costs.
Hesgoal copycats
The Hesgoal name attracts copycat sites who look to gain the financial rewards that the originial domain once had, with many similar "pop-up" hesgoal domains appearing regularly in search engines.
Ultimately, the popularity of these illegal football streaming websites can often be their own downfall, as many try to imitate the success and therefore flood search engine results and lessen their chances of ranking highly.
Whilst there is no doubt free football streams are very popular amongst football fans with millions logging on each week, we would always advise to watch online via the digital platforms offered by the official broadcasters such as Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Premier Sports and others.
What live football is currently on legal broadcasters?
Use our Match schedule links below to find out what live football is being shown on TV via legal UK broadcasters:
- Live Football on Sky Sports
- Live Football on TNT Sports
Official guidance on illegal streaming
Authorities in both football and government have been clear about the dangers of illegal streaming. The UK Government warns that "piracy exposes consumers to malware, fraud and other cyber-crime while undermining the creative industries that invest in live sport." The Premier League has stated bluntly that "watching pirate streaming services is a crime, full stop," warning fans that using these sites can leave them exposed to prosecution and data theft. UEFA supports coordinated law enforcement action to shut down illegal streaming services and has reaffirmed that "the fight against the online piracy of our competitions remains a key priority." Together, these warnings clearly support switching to licensed broadcasters such as Sky Sports, TNT Sports and DAZN as the only safe and legal way to enjoy live football.
About WherestheMatch.com
WheresTheMatch.com has been the UK's most comprehensive sport on TV guide since 2007. Every week we track thousands of fixtures across football, rugby, cricket, and more, showing fans where to watch live matches legally on TV and online. Our schedules are updated daily and sourced directly from official broadcasters such as Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and BBC Sport.
We never promote illegal streaming websites. Our goal is to make it easy for fans to find safe, reliable, and legal ways to watch their favourite teams.