Tottenham Hotspur v Villareal CF Champions League 16/09/2025. Amazon Prime Hostess Gabby Logan talks to Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov & Michael Carrick ahead of the Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Villareal CF at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, United Kingdom on 16 September 2025. London Tottenham Hotspur Stadium London United Kingdom Editorial use only , Copyright: xChrisxFoxwellx PSI-22827-0004
Sky has introduced new low-latency streaming channels in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, giving certain customers a significantly improved viewing experience.
The upgrade arrives just ahead of Scotland’s opening tournament fixture against Haiti on Sunday, June 14, marking a historic moment for Scottish football.
The new “Real Time” channels are designed to reduce the streaming lag that plagues many households who watch live television over an internet connection rather than traditional terrestrial broadcasts.
That lag can be particularly frustrating during live football, where goals are frequently spoiled by mobile notifications or the sound of cheering neighbours before the action appears on screen.
Sky describes the Real Time service as its “lowest latency streaming experience,” allowing viewers to see on-screen action “within seconds” of it happening on the pitch.
The dedicated channels are available to Sky Stream and Sky Glass customers at no additional cost, covering BBC One HD RT, ITV1/STV/UKT HD RT, and ITV4 HD RT across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Sky recommends a broadband connection speed of at least 40Mbps to ensure the Real Time channels operate smoothly and without interruption during matches.
Alongside the streaming upgrade, Sky is offering 20% off its entire Sky Glass TV range until June 17, with monthly prices starting from £4.50 for the Sky Glass Air, reduced from £6.
The more advanced Sky Glass Gen 2 starts at £11 per month, down from £14, with both models featuring a 4K HDR Quantum Dot screen and a dedicated sports mode delivering “a crisp, cooler look, vivid colours and an electrifying burst of sound.”
Technology Editor at The Mirror, Dave Snelling, reviewed the Gen 2 at its launch and found it offered “decent improvements” over the original model, saying: “Sky Glass Gen 2 offers some decent improvements over Sky’s original television.”
Snelling noted that “the refreshed Quantum Dot 4K screen is so much better, with content looking bright, rich and colourful,” while acknowledging it cannot match full OLED technology from manufacturers like Samsung and LG.
He added: “Sky Glass Gen 2 is perfectly watchable, and most consumers will genuinely enjoy bingeing on boxsets, watching sporting action and tuning into a blockbuster – it just won’t suit those wanting the ultimate OLED experience.”
On the audio side, Snelling observed: “Sky can’t beat full surround sound systems or speakers such as the Sonos Arc, but it does offer decent audio without paying anything for extra accessories or having endless cables all over the room.”
New Sky customers must pair a Sky Glass television with either the £15 Essential TV bundle or the £24 Ultimate TV bundle, both of which include free Netflix access and channels such as Sky Atlantic.
The Ultimate TV bundle goes further, adding free HBO Max and Disney+ subscriptions, though both packages are tied to 24-month contracts with Sky Glass itself coming on a 48-month loan arrangement with £20 upfront.
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