Almost all of the best streaming services are vying for the attention of sports fans, with Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, Paramount Plus and more offering live sports streaming options. The next contender to enter the ring is HBO Max.
Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO Max, signed an eight-year deal with US soccer in 2022, and the fruits of that kick off on Tuesday, January 17, when the first soccer match streams on the platform: a US Women's National Team (USWNT, as they're popularly known as) game against the New Zealand women's national football team. The match is being hosted by New Zealand, in its Sky Stadium, and kick-off is at 10 pm ET/7 pm PT in the US.
A rematch, also on HBO Max, takes place on January 20, as the USWNT completes a brief New Zealand tour. It's kicking off at exactly the same time as the prior match.
This news doesn't mean that all US Soccer games are playing on HBO Max, though, as some are still going to be on Warner Bros. Discovery's other platforms. Take, for example, the Men's team — while its January 25 game against Serbia will stream for HBO Max, its subsequent game on January 29 against Colombia is airing on TNT, a different Turner channel. Also,
US Soccer has an online schedule that you can use to see how to stream each match of the season, and you can find that guide here.
HBO Max costs $9.99 per month for its ad-enabled tier, or $15.99 per month for an ad-free experience (after a recent price rise). While soccer is the only live sport on the service so far, Turner Sports (Warner Bros. Discovery's sports arm) owns the rights for streaming NHL and NBA, so those could join in soon.
At some point in spring 2023, a merger is expected between HBO Max and Discovery Plus, which will bring lots more content to the HBO streaming service including sports. Discovery signed a deal in 2021 to gain streaming rights to the 2024 Olympic Games, and it also shows lots more sports via its Eurosports brand, so that merger could supercharge HBO Max's sports streaming offerings (as well as its price, potentially).
Before then, though, reasons to subscribe to HBO Max include new drama show The Last of Us, as well as popular recent shows House of the Dragon and White Lotus.
