Asia Cup 2025 live streaming: No Jio or Hotstar — Sony LIV subscription needed in India

Opened your favorite app and couldn’t find the Asia Cup 2025 tile? You’re not alone. This year’s tournament has shuffled platforms again, and it’s thrown a lot of fans off. The ACC’s showpiece is behind a paywall in India, with live streaming on Sony LIV and FanCode, and television coverage on the Sony Sports Network. No JioCinema. No Disney+ Hotstar. No free-to-air option.

Why the Asia Cup isn’t on Jio or Hotstar this time

Sports rights keep rotating, and that’s the root of the confusion. Recent big events landed on different apps—remember the IPL on JioCinema and the last Asia Cup on Disney+ Hotstar? For 2025, the ACC’s India rights sit with Sony’s ecosystem, so the matches are on Sony LIV for streaming and Sony Sports Network on TV. FanCode is carrying live coverage in India as well, adding one more paywall to navigate.

Plenty of fans had expected the tournament to show up on Jio or Hotstar again, especially after some high-profile tournaments were easy to find—and sometimes even free on mobile—on those platforms in the recent past. That’s not the case this year. If you want every ball live in India, you’ll need an active subscription with Sony LIV or FanCode. Pirated feeds will pop up, as always, but they’re risky, low quality, and can get you in legal trouble.

The broadcast setup outside India is just as fragmented. The US has Willow TV. The UK is with TNT Sports. Pakistan viewers have PTV Sports on TV with Tamasha for live streaming, and Afghanistan’s broadcast partner is Lemar. Other regions are covered by their local rights holders, so fans should check their country-specific broadcaster before the matches begin.

How to watch, when to tune in, and what’s different in 2025

The tournament is running across two UAE venues—Dubai International Cricket Ground and Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi—through September 28, when the final is scheduled. Most fixtures start at 8:00 PM IST (2:30 PM GMT; 6:30 PM local UAE time). There’s one timing outlier confirmed so far: UAE vs Oman begins earlier at 5:30 PM IST. Afghanistan and Hong Kong kicked things off on September 9 in Abu Dhabi, and India played their opener on September 10.

This edition is in T20 format. That shifts the team balance a bit. India have leaned on a younger core, with senior stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma not part of the squad for this tournament. It’s a chance for the next tier to sharpen roles in a high-pressure setting. The scheduling also sets up the possibility of India and Pakistan crossing paths as many as three times—once in the group phase, potentially again in the Super Fours, and then in the final if both make it there.

Here’s what Indian viewers need to know, at a glance:

• Streaming: Sony LIV and FanCode (paid subscriptions required).
• Television: Sony Sports Network channels (pay TV).
• No free streaming or free-to-air telecast confirmed for India.
• Most match start times: 8:00 PM IST; watch for the UAE vs Oman early start at 5:30 PM IST.

If you’re watching from abroad:

• United States: Willow TV.
• United Kingdom: TNT Sports.
• Pakistan: PTV Sports on TV; Tamasha for live streaming.
• Afghanistan: Lemar.
• Other regions: Check local rights holders listed by your cable/OTT provider.

Want a smoother viewing experience? A few simple steps help. Sign in and test your app at least 15 minutes before the toss. Update the Sony LIV or FanCode app to the latest version to avoid mid-innings crashes. Use a stable connection—high-definition streams need consistent bandwidth more than raw speed. If you’re watching on a smart TV, check audio language options and commentary feeds; big tournaments often offer English, Hindi, and sometimes regional languages.

On the cricket itself, the T20 format compresses the margin for error. Powerplay impact, matchup bowling, and fielding intensity decide games quickly. Expect teams to stack their XIs with flexible middle-order batters and multiple all-round options. With UAE pitches typically offering true bounce in Dubai and slightly slower grip in Abu Dhabi late in the evening, captains will weigh dew and chase trends heavily at the toss.

India’s selection call to rest senior names is deliberate. It opens the door for younger batters to handle death overs and for newer bowling combinations to rehearse under lights. Pakistan’s pace depth, Afghanistan’s spin web, and Sri Lanka’s tournament smarts always travel well in the Gulf. Then there’s the Asia Cup wildcard effect: associate teams, like Hong Kong and Oman, can ambush favorites in a 20-over shootout if they win the toss and nail the first six overs.

The viewer mood in India is mixed—excitement for the cricket, frustration with the platform shift. Subscription fatigue is real after a year of constant app-hopping across sports. If you’re budgeting, pick one service and stick with it through the tournament; mid-event switches can cause login chaos. Also, beware of misleading social posts promising “free official streams.” If it’s not on Sony LIV or FanCode in India, it’s not legitimate.

Production-wise, expect the full broadcast package: toss shows, studio panels, mid-innings analysis, player chats, and highlights compilations. UAE venues handle night events well, so picture quality should be crisp under lights. For late-evening viewers in India, plan around the 8:00 PM IST start—most games will run past 11:00 PM, with tight finishes pushing close to midnight.

Big picture, the Asia Cup landing on Sony’s platforms is another reminder of how fragmented live sports has become. Rights deals jump networks; apps jostle for exclusives; fans pay, switch, and repeat. For now, the path is clear: if you want every over live in India, set up Sony LIV or FanCode and keep the Sony Sports Network handy on TV. The cricket is worth it—just don’t wait until the toss to figure out where to watch.