Content & Catalog
What to watch on STARZPLAY Sports?
Content TypesMovies · Series · Live TV · Live Sport · Anime · Documentaries · Kids · Originals · Offline
SubtitlesArabic · English
Hybrid VODWorks with VPNUpdated June 20, 2026
Reviewed by Vladimir Uhlik · Affiliate DisclosureOur website contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
How to Watch STARZPLAY Sports outside the US: VPN Guide 2026
Serie A with Arabic and English commentary, the UFC Arabia channel, a multi-year PFL deal and exclusive cricket rights to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026: that is the live-sport spread the Emirati streamer STARZPLAY Sports keeps strictly for the MENA region. The catch is that the app runs only across 19 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, so the moment your IP sits anywhere else the catalog stays locked. You can watch STARZPLAY Sports outside its home region once you move your virtual location into MENA, because the geo-block otherwise stops you on the splash screen.
NordVPN is the fix here: it swaps your IP for a server in the United Arab Emirates and the app reads you as a local viewer. You still pay for your own subscription, and the sport sits in the MAX tier, which streams up to 4K with HDR. Hollywood premieres, anime and Turkish drama keep landing on top.
Free
Price
19
Countries
4K HDR
Max quality
4 of 7
VPNs work
2-3 min
Ready in
Quick answer
Can you watch STARZPLAY Sports outside the US?
Not from a foreign IP on its own, since the service is fenced to 19 MENA countries plus Pakistan. Connect NordVPN to a server in the United Arab Emirates, though, and the app treats you as a local, so the catalog opens up. Live sport such as Serie A or a UFC card lives in the premium MAX tier, and you cover the subscription yourself. It works on mobile, smart TVs and in a browser.
VPN Compatibility
Best VPN for STARZPLAY Sports
Tested weekly by our team. Green: works, amber: partial, red: blocked.
| VPN Service | Price | STARZPLAY Sports | Tested | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NordVPNBEST | From $2.99/mo | ✓ Works | July 6 | Try it |
 Surfshark | From $1.78/mo | ✓ Works | July 4 | Open |
 ExpressVPN | From $2.79/mo | ✓ Works | July 4 | Open |
 Private Internet Access | From $1.79/mo | ✓ Works | July 6 | Open |
 IPVanish | From $2.19/mo | ~ Partial | July 6 | Open |
 ProtonVPN | From $3.59/mo | ~ Partial | July 5 | Open |
 CyberGhost | From $1.75/mo | ~ Partial | July 1 | Open |
✓ WorksTested July 6
✓ WorksTested July 4
✓ WorksTested July 4
✓ WorksTested July 6
~ PartialTested July 6
~ PartialTested July 5
~ PartialTested July 1
Tested on July 6, 2026 · 7 VPNs, 4 working · residential IP from the UAE · STARZPLAY Sports updates detection continuously, results may change.
Streaming service blocking your VPN? Just disconnect and hop onto a different server in the same country. Stick to the ones labeled “streaming” or “optimized” because they’re literally built for this.
How-to
How to Unblock STARZPLAY Sports with a VPN
Takes about 2 minutes. Works on your phone, tablet, TV, PC, or laptop.
- Pick a reliable VPNGo with NordVPN and its UAE servers. At $2.99 per month with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you get room to test the whole thing risk-free.Favor a provider with fast Emirati servers so a live match never buffers.
- Connect to a UAE serverOpen the VPN and choose a server in the United Arab Emirates. That hands you a local IP address that STARZPLAY Sports will accept.
- Open the platformLaunch the STARZPLAY Sports app or website, sign in and activate your own subscription. Look for sport in the MAX tier; entertainment also runs on the cheaper Plus plan.
- Start streamingPick a match or a series and play it in up to 4K with HDR. Subtitles come in Arabic and English, and offline downloads cover you on the move.
Ready to watch STARZPLAY Sports without borders?
NordVPN: risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee
Availability
Which countries is STARZPLAY Sports available in?
STARZPLAY Sports works in 19 countries, including in Algeria, in Bahrain, in Egypt, in Iraq and in Jordan. In 175 more it is blocked, and outside available regions you will need a VPN.
Available in 19 countries No VPN needed
STARZPLAY Sports works without a VPN in Algeria, in Bahrain, in Egypt, in Iraq, in Jordan, in Kuwait and in Lebanon, plus in 12 more countries.
Blocked in 175 countries VPN required
United StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaCanadaNew ZealandIrelandGermanyFranceJapanIndiaNetherlandsSouth Africa
Show all 163 more countries
BrazilAfghanistanAlbaniaAndorraAngolaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana
British Virgin Islands
BruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColombiaComorosCongoCongo (DRC)Costa RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFijiFinlandGabonGambiaGeorgiaGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndonesiaIranIsraelItalyJamaicaKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLesothoLiberiaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorth KoreaNorth MacedoniaNorwayPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSão Tomé and PríncipeSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSurinameSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamZambiaZimbabweSTARZPLAY Sports is blocked in the United States, in the United Kingdom, in Australia, in Canada and in New Zealand, plus in 170 more countries. To access it, use a premium VPN like NordVPN.
Available
Blocked / unavailable
Last tested: June 22, 2026
Steer clear of free VPNs. Most of them actually collect and sell your data, lack proper security audits, and can even expose you to malware. They’re also useless for streaming. Platforms block them instantly, leaving you with more headaches than solutions. Stick to paid VPNs with verified audits, like NordVPN, if you want something that actually works.
Pricing & Plans
How Much Does STARZPLAY Sports Cost?
STARZPLAY Plus
$2.72
/month
7-day free trial
- 5 simultaneous streams
- Ad-free
- No offline downloads
Most Popular
STARZPLAY MAX
$12.25
/month
7-day free trial
- 5 simultaneous streams
- Ad-free
- No offline downloads
Ready to subscribe to STARZPLAY Sports?
Go to the official website: no VPN needed if you’re in a supported country.
About the platform
Who’s behind the service?
What is STARZPLAY Sports
STARZPLAY is a premium MENA streaming service headquartered in the United Arab Emirates and now owned by a consortium of e& (E-Vision) and the ADQ fund. Alongside Hollywood movies, series on the day of their US premiere, Arabic and Turkish productions, anime and kids titles, it also carries live sport. On the STARZPLAY MAX plan you get UFC and PFL, Italy’s Serie A, Coppa Italia, the Dutch Eredivisie, ICC cricket and the IPL, EuroLeague basketball, rugby, golf, boxing and the UAE Pro League. Everything streams in 4K with HDR, on up to 5 devices and 2 concurrent streams, with offline downloads and Arabic and English subtitles. Available in 19 countries.
Company and history
Previously known as
Starz Play ArabiaSTARZPLAY Arabia
Major changes
- Launched in April 2015, STARZPLAY Sports began as a premium streaming library across 17 Middle East and North Africa countries, with co-founder Maaz Sheikh pitching it as a local Netflix rival.
- In March 2022, the e& (E-Vision) and ADQ consortium announced a majority buy of roughly 57 percent at a 420-million-dollar valuation, moving the service under Abu Dhabi ownership.
- By October 2022 the acquisition closed, folding STARZPLAY Sports fully into Abu Dhabi’s telecom and investment ecosystem and opening the door to major sports-rights spending.
- In March 2025 STARZPLAY Sports signed a multi-year exclusive deal with the Professional Fighters League for MENA, adding the full PFL circuit including PFL MENA and the World Tournament series.
- In August 2025 STARZPLAY Sports renewed exclusive MENA rights to Italy’s Serie A through the 2027/28 season, a three-year deal worth around 28 million euros with commentary kept in Arabic and English.
- In February 2026 STARZPLAY Sports carried the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup exclusively for MENA, running from 7 February to 8 March, with the tournament backed by fan zones set up in Dubai.
Trust signals
Still can’t open STARZPLAY Sports where you are?
Connect NordVPN, pick a supported country, and you’re streaming STARZPLAY Sports in minutes, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Devices & Quality
Watch on all your devices
Supported devices
Video quality
4KHDRDolby VisionDolby Atmos
UX features
Continue watching
Accessibility
Closed captions
Insider Tips
Tips & tricks you should know
5 tips from our STARZPLAY Sports testing team · Updated June 22, 2026
- Live sport lives only in the STARZPLAY MAX tier at AED 44.99 a month, the cheaper Plus plan at AED 9.99 and the free ad tier carry entertainment only.
- STARZPLAY streams in up to 4K with HDR, and one MAX subscription covers five registered devices with two streams at once, plus offline downloads for flights or commutes.
- STARZPLAY is the exclusive MENA streamer for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 (Feb 7 to Mar 8), so one month of MAX covers the whole tournament if you cancel after.
- STARZPLAY is geo-locked to 19 MENA markets plus Pakistan, so outside the region you reach UFC, PFL and Serie A only with NordVPN set to a UAE server.
- Non-MENA payment cards are frequently declined, so set up billing on a regional account or gift card and keep NordVPN on an Emirati location before you sign up.
Alternatives
Other services you can watch
Not the right fit? Here are services in the same category you can compare.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know before subscribing to STARZPLAY Sports.
The service is licensed only for 19 MENA countries plus Pakistan, so from a foreign IP the app reads a non-local location and locks the catalog. Connect NordVPN to a server in the United Arab Emirates and the app treats you as a local viewer, so the content opens. Rivals like Shahid or OSN+ serve the same region, but Serie A and the UFC Arabia channel sit only here.
No. The entry-level Plus tier and the free ad-supported version carry entertainment only, meaning films and series. Live sport such as Serie A or PFL broadcasts lives strictly in the pricier MAX tier. So if football or fight nights are your goal, budget for MAX and pair it with NordVPN on a UAE server so the app lets you through in the first place.
An account registers up to five devices and runs two concurrent streams. It works on phones, tablets, smart TVs and in a desktop browser, and titles download for offline viewing, which helps when you travel. For the app to even start outside MENA, though, you need NordVPN active on a United Arab Emirates server, otherwise the geo-block stops you cold.
No. NordVPN does one job: it switches your virtual location to a UAE server so the app reads you as a local and lets you in. The subscription itself is on you, whether that is the cheaper Plus plan or MAX with sport. A VPN never makes the content free; it only unlocks access from abroad. Without your own account, the catalog stays shut.
Top titles and live sport run up to 4K with HDR, as long as your plan and connection speed allow it. On a slower line the app drops quality on its own so the stream stays smooth. Through NordVPN, aim for a fast UAE server, since every extra hop adds latency and a live match feels it most. Subtitles come in Arabic and English.
Beyond live sport, the library carries Hollywood films, series on the day of their US premiere, Arabic and Turkish productions, anime, documentaries and kids’ content. It is a full streaming service, not just a sports channel. The free ad-supported tier serves a selection at no cost, while the paid tiers open the whole catalog. From abroad, even this entertainment needs NordVPN on a UAE server.
Yes. The service includes a free ad-supported tier with a selection of films, series and dozens of live channels at no charge. Sport and premium new releases are not part of it, though; those sit in the paid Plus and MAX tiers. Even the free version only starts from abroad through NordVPN on a United Arab Emirates server, since the geo-block applies to the whole service.
This is often the sticking point. The service is built for the MENA region and sometimes rejects payments from outside it, so a foreign card may not go through. NordVPN only solves the app’s geo-block and has no effect on the payment method. If a card fails, try another or a gateway the platform supports in the target market. This barrier is why we rate its VPN-friendliness only partial.
They are two different things. This is the Emirati service for MENA with its own sports rights, such as Serie A and PFL. US Starz, rebranded as Lionsgate+ elsewhere, targets a completely different market and does no sport. The financial troubles of US Starz do not touch this MENA version. From abroad you reach the MENA catalog through NordVPN on a UAE server.
Yes. The service holds exclusive MENA rights to Italy’s Serie A through the 2027/28 season, with live matches plus replays and highlights in Arabic and English commentary. The catch is that Serie A sits in the MAX tier, not the cheaper Plus plan. To reach it from abroad, connect NordVPN to a United Arab Emirates server first, then sign in to your own MAX subscription.
Yes. The service runs the UFC Arabia channel and, since a multi-year 2025 deal, the full Professional Fighters League circuit for MENA, including PFL MENA. Both sit in the premium MAX tier rather than the cheaper Plus plan. As with the rest of the catalog, you open this from abroad by connecting NordVPN to a United Arab Emirates server and signing in to your own account.
Ready to watch STARZPLAY Sports without borders?
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Part of the e& (E-Vision) & ADQ family.
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