As football fans in and out of the UK know, Scottish football is about to see one of its biggest matches, Celtic v Hearts in the Scottish Cup Final.
This will be the third season in the row that Celtic reached the Scottish Cup final, and fans from around the world are interested to see who will be this season’s victor.
However, while it will be easy to watch the broadcast of the game within the UK simply by using the BBC iPlayer, anyone outside the UK is likely to run into issues.
Due to geo-restrictions, you can’t access iPlayer from outside the UK leaving you with little choice but to miss the match.
However, there’s a simple way around this. So if you’re a Celtic or Hearts fan or enjoy watching football read on to find out how you can live stream the final anywhere.
How to watch in the UK
As mentioned, if you are a UK citizen, go to the BBC iPlayer website or app and you can watch the live broadcast on BBC Scotland.
That is all there is to it for you, and watching the game live should go without issues.
How to watch the Scottish Cup Final outside the UK
On the other hand, if you live anywhere else, and are outside of the UK – you will find it impossible to access BBC iPlayer due to geo-restrictions.
To avoid the restrictions, you will need a VPN, with ExpressVPN being the best option. Here is what you will have to do to get it and watch the game live:
- Go to ExpressVPN website.
- Sign up for an account. Pro tip: The 12-month package is 49% cheaper than paying monthly.
- Enter your payment details.
- Download the app for the device you plan to use. You’ll find it in the ‘Products’ section of their website.
- Install the app and open it.
- Connect to a server in the UK. Press the ‘Server Selection’ button and choose ‘United Kingdom’ from the list.
- Use BBC iPlayer and enjoy the Celtic v Hearts match.
Watch live using ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN is one of the best choices, as it is speedy and perfect for streaming; it has a massive server network and is very cost-effective.
The lengthier the plan you pick, the cheaper the service is, which is something to keep in mind if you want to watch other football or TV shows overseas.
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Are there other VPN options?
Of course, ExpressVPN isn’t only our recommendation, and there are plenty of others.
Services such as NordVPN or CyberGhost are also suitable. Both have large networks, a 30-day money back guarantee, they work with many devices, and they can unblock BBC iPlayer, which is a rare feature.
If you’ve got a bit of time before the match to shop about then check out all three but if you want no-nonsense messing about grab ExpressVPN and get yourself comfortable for the game.
When and where is the Scottish Cup Final?
This time, the Scottish Cup Final will take place at Hampden Park, on May 25th of this year.
Kick-off is expected to take place at 3 pm after some uncertainty due to another match taking place at 6:30 pm at Celtic Park.
Who’s playing in the final?
As the title suggests, the final will see the clash between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian.
Hearts have somewhat of a struggle as Celtic have reached and won the last two finals taking their tally to a leading 38 wins in the history of the tournament.
The last time Hearts reached the final was 2012 beating Hibs in the process.
As for who will win this year, you will have to watch to find out. All you need to do is ensure that you can see it for yourself, and to do it in time.
How did they get to the final?
To get to the final, both teams had to go through a lot.
Hearts needed to beat Livingston, Auchinleck Talbot, Partick Thistle, and Inverness. As for the Celtic, the team needed to beat Airdrieonians, St Johnstone, Hibernian, and Aberdeen.
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What countries can I watch in?
If you are from the UK, you can watch the game with no issues, as always when it comes to the iPlayer.
If you are from somewhere else, such as the US, Australia, Canada, or pretty much any other location in the world – a good VPN will let you watch the Celtic v Hearts game.
How does a VPN work?
A VPN is an online security, privacy, and anonymity tool.
As such, it uses security protocols and encryption to protect your traffic, and networks of computers called servers to secure your anonymity. You can connect to any server offered in their network, which can be located anywhere in the world.
Connecting to one will replace your real IP address – which shows your location – with the one owned by the server.
By assuming the identity of another location websites that show sports, TV or other content think you’re in that country and so let you access and watch their content.
Is a VPN even legal?
Absolutely. No matter where you are, VPNs are entirely legal, mostly because governments themselves use them.
Some countries may not like them, but as they’re used by businesses and individuals to stay secure online, the legality of them is unlikely to change.
Summary
The Celtic v Hearts match is about to arrive, in a glorious final of the Scottish Cup.
However, the game will be difficult to watch live for those who are not in the UK, at least if you don’t choose to use a VPN.
VPNs can help you change your online location, and gain access to the content that is otherwise blocked and restricted.
We recommend ExpressVPN, but the choice is yours. If you decide to choose another VPN service, ensure that it will work with BBC iPlayer before you pay.
All that’s left for you to do is sign up for ExpressVPN, download their app and connect to the UK all in time for the match. Then you can sit back, call your mates round and enjoy a few beers while watching the best Scottish football has to offer.
Ready to watch? Try our recommended VPN service provider.
- Watch the game live
- Stream in any country
- Easy and quick to set-up
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