Aston Villa to Stream All Pre-Season Fixtures via VillaTV: What Fans Need to Know

by Jason Darries, 18 Jul 2025, Sports

13 Comments

VillaTV Gears Up for a Jam-Packed Pre-Season Broadcast

Aston Villa isn’t just working hard on the pitch—they’re making sure fans don’t miss a moment of pre-season action either. This year, Aston Villa has lined up all eight warm-up games to stream live on VillaTV, starting with a clash against Walsall on July 16 and wrapping up with a showdown versus Villarreal on August 10. No matter where you are, there’s a way to tune in, but the type of access depends on your membership status.

If you’re an Essential Member (this just replaced their Digital Membership), you’re off to a good start: you can watch the Walsall opener absolutely free. Stepping up, paid memberships including Adult, Video, Video Lite, Women’s Team, and Junior cover every friendly match. That’s serious value—especially with three U.S. tour games in the mix, which gives members more than just local matches to look forward to.

Your VillaTV Options: What Gets You What?

The club’s streaming approach is about flexibility, but it also rewards commitment. Here’s how it all breaks down for the different fan categories:

Essential Members: Free access to the Walsall opener, free live audio commentary for Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup, and post-match full replays for all men's games.
Adult, Video, Video Lite, Women’s Team, and Junior Members: Complete pre-season coverage streamed live, including exclusive U.S. tour matches—as part of your membership pack.
Season Ticket Holders and Active VillaTV+ Subscribers: No need to pay extra. Your pass covers every friendly.
Non-Members: You’ll need to buy an Essential Membership (starting at £15) before grabbing a Match Pass at £5.99 per game. If you’re watching more than a couple of games, the math says just get the membership.

VillaTV’s memberships go beyond just the men's team: a Video Membership packs in live streams of pre-season games, Premier League 2 (PL2) home matches, U18 FA Youth Cup, and select women's WSL fixtures. If you’re mostly interested in the women’s squad, the Video Lite plan keeps it simple with a solid menu of WSL matches. So, there’s something for almost every flavor of Villa fandom.

Fans who love to relive the action can catch up on full match replays after the games, and there’s free live audio commentary for all the big men’s competitions if watching isn’t an option. Be aware, though—some matches might be out of reach in certain countries because of broadcast rights.

The club’s move to put everything on VillaTV is a nod to supporters’ changing habits, giving plenty of choice and a bit of flexibility based on how invested you want to be. It’s a simple system with a menu that suits hardcore Villa obsessives and casual watchers alike.

Jane Vasquez 18 Jul

Oh great, another “free” match for us peasants, just what we needed 🙄.

Hartwell Moshier 18 Jul

Looks good. Just pay the £15 and watch.

Jay Bould 18 Jul

Hey fellow Villa fans! As someone who follows the club from India, I’m thrilled that VillaTV is making the pre‑season games accessible worldwide. It’s a nice blend of tradition and modern tech, and it gives us the chance to see the lads warm‑up before the league kicks off. The tiered membership might sound confusing at first, but once you figure out which plan suits your viewing habits, it’s pretty straightforward. I especially appreciate the inclusion of the U.S. tour fixtures – it shows the club’s intent to grow its global community.

Mike Malone 18 Jul

One must consider the broader implications of VillaTV's streaming strategy beyond mere convenience.
By centralising pre‑season fixtures on a proprietary platform, the club asserts a degree of digital sovereignty that mirrors contemporary trends in global sport governance.
This maneuver, whilst ostensibly consumer‑centric, also serves to accrue valuable viewership data, a commodity of increasing worth in the modern media marketplace.
Moreover, the tiered access model subtly incentivises deeper financial commitment from supporters, effectively converting casual viewership into sustained revenue streams.
From a philosophical standpoint, the dichotomy between free access for essential members and paid tiers for comprehensive coverage raises questions regarding equity in fandom.
Does the club truly embrace inclusivity, or does it merely capitalise on brand loyalty?
The inclusion of U.S. tour matches further illustrates an ambition to expand the international footprint, aligning with the club’s commercial objectives.
Yet, one might argue that this expansion risks alienating local supporters whose cultural affinity is rooted in the domestic game.
In addition, the contractual constraints that prohibit certain matches from being streamed internationally highlight the complex interplay of broadcasting rights.
Such limitations serve as a reminder that even in an era of digital ubiquity, legal frameworks retain considerable influence.
Practically speaking, fans should evaluate the cost‑benefit ratio of purchasing an essential membership versus individual match passes, especially if their viewing habits are sporadic.
For the ardent supporter who intends to follow every fixture, the subscription appears fiscally prudent.
Conversely, the occasional viewer may find the per‑match fee more economical.
Ultimately, VillaTV's approach exemplifies a microcosm of the evolving relationship between clubs and their global fan bases, wherein technology, economics, and community intersect.
It remains to be seen how this model will shape future engagement strategies within the Premier League.

Pierce Smith 18 Jul

While I understand the club’s aim to cater to both hardcore followers and casual viewers, perhaps a more streamlined pricing structure could alleviate confusion. Offering a “pay‑as‑you‑go” bundle alongside the existing memberships might bridge that gap.

Abhishek Singh 18 Jul

Yeah because we all have endless cash just to watch a friendly match.

hg gay 18 Jul

I totally get where you're coming from 😊; the club really seems to be trying to strike a balance between accessibility and revenue, and that’s commendable.
At the same time, the tiered structure can feel a bit overwhelming for fans who just want to watch a couple of games without diving into a full subscription.
It’s great that the essential membership offers a free opener, but the subsequent pricing may still be a hurdle for many supporters, especially those outside the UK.
That said, the inclusion of the U.S. tour matches is a fantastic opportunity for our fellow Americans to feel more connected to Villa.
If you’re budgeting, it might be worth calculating the total cost of a season’s worth of passes versus the membership fee; often the maths favours the all‑inclusive option for the dedicated fan.
Hopefully Villa keeps listening to its global community and maybe offers more flexible bundles in the future.
Fingers crossed! 🙏

Owen Covach 18 Jul

VillaTV’s lineup is a sweet buffet of matches – everything from local derbies to exotic tours.

Pauline HERT 18 Jul

It’s about time the club gave its loyal supporters real value, not just empty promises.

Ron Rementilla 18 Jul

Considering the cost of an essential membership versus individual match passes, the numbers clearly favor the membership for anyone planning to watch more than two games.

Chand Shahzad 18 Jul

Indeed, a prudent assessment of the pricing structure reveals that the essential membership provides a cost‑effective solution for the dedicated fan, while also reinforcing the club’s commitment to fostering a unified supporter community.

Eduardo Torres 18 Jul

Let’s hope this new streaming approach brings us all closer to the action.

Emanuel Hantig 18 Jul

Streaming the pre‑season is a brilliant way to deepen the bond between the club and its global family 😃. It reminds us that football transcends borders, uniting fans in shared moments of anticipation and joy.