How to Watch British TV in Spain: A Practical Guide for Expats
Hundreds of thousands of British people live in Spain, and almost all of them ask the same question in their first month: how do I get my UK channels back? This guide covers the options, the internet you need in town and in the campo, and a ten-minute setup that works from Malaga to Mallorca.
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Why the Satellite Dish Stopped Being the Easy Answer
For years, the standard way to get British TV in Spain was a satellite dish pointed at the same satellites used in the UK. That changed when the main UK channels moved to newer satellites with a much tighter beam focused on the British Isles. On the Costa Blanca a large dish can still pick it up; on the Costa del Sol, in the Canaries or inland, you often need a dish of 1.8 metres or more, careful alignment, and even then the picture can drop out in heavy rain.
Meanwhile, Spanish broadband has become some of the best in Europe. Fibre to the home is standard in most towns and urbanisations, which makes internet TV the simpler route for most households.
UK TV in Spain: Your Options at a Glance
| Option | What you need | Good | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large satellite dish | 1.2–2 m dish, installer, receiver | No internet needed | Cost, planning rules in some communities, rain fade |
| IPTV service | Broadband, a Firestick or Smart TV, a subscription | UK, Irish and Spanish channels plus films and series in one app | Needs a steady connection |
| Spanish pay-TV | Local contract | Local sport and Spanish channels | Limited British content, long contracts |
For UK TV in Spain, most expats now choose IPTV because it brings the British channels, the Spanish ones and an on-demand library together, with nothing to bolt to the roof. The rest of this guide focuses on that route.
IPTV in Spain: The Internet You Need
IPTV needs about 15 Mbps for HD, 25 Mbps for Full HD and 25–50 Mbps for 4K, and it needs that speed steadily rather than in bursts. Here is how the common Spanish connection types compare:
- Fibre (fibra óptica): the standard in towns and most urbanisations, usually 300 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Plenty for several TVs at once.
- Radio link (radio enlace): common in the countryside, where a small antenna points at a local mast. Often 20–100 Mbps; fine for HD and Full HD if the link is stable.
- 4G/5G router: popular in rural fincas and short-term rentals. Works well with a good signal; check your monthly data allowance, because an hour of HD uses a few gigabytes.
- Satellite internet: modern low-orbit services usually manage HD and Full HD. Older satellite broadband with high latency and data caps struggles with live TV.
Setting It Up, Step by Step
- Choose your deviceA Firestick or an Android TV box gives the smoothest experience. If you bring a UK Firestick, it works on Spanish power with a simple plug adapter. Buying locally? Some of the newest Fire TV models run Amazon’s Vega OS and cannot install third-party apps, so check the model in our Firestick guide first.
- Connect to the internetUse a network cable if the router is near the TV. If not, a mesh Wi-Fi point beside the TV is the next best thing.
- Install a player appTiviMate or IPTV Smarters on Firestick and Android; IBO Player or a similar app on Samsung and LG TVs. The device setup hub has screenshots for each.
- Enter your loginType the server URL, username and password from your XiroTV email exactly, with no extra spaces. Channels, films and the guide load automatically.
- Set the time zoneSet the device to Madrid time (or Atlantic/Canary on the islands) so the guide and catch-up line up. Details below.
Spanish Time and the TV Guide
Mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands run on Central European Time, one hour ahead of the UK all year round. The Canary Islands use the same time as the UK. Because guide data carries its own time stamps, your app shows programmes in whatever time zone the device is set to.
| Where you live | Time zone | A 3 pm UK kick-off shows as |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland Spain | Central European Time | 4 pm |
| Balearic Islands | Central European Time | 4 pm |
| Canary Islands | Western European Time (same as UK) | 3 pm |
On a Firestick, go to Settings › Preferences › Time Zone. Some player apps also let you shift the guide time in their own settings, which helps if the device itself must stay on another zone. After changing it, refresh the guide.
What It Costs in Euros
XiroTV plans are charged in pounds; use the currency selector at the top of the page to see the euro equivalent of each figure below.
- 1 month: £15
- 3 months: £30, a good fit for a winter or summer season
- 12 months: £80, about £6.67 a month
- Ultimate (6 years): £350 once, about £4.86 a month
Spanish bank cards, PayPal and cryptocurrency are all accepted. If your Spanish bank adds a foreign-currency fee, a card without one keeps the cost down. Read how euro pricing works for the details.
Rules on streaming differ between countries and change over time, so keep up to date with the guidance that applies in Spain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. An IPTV service delivers UK channels over your broadband, so all you need is an internet connection, a device such as a Firestick or Smart TV and a subscription.
Yes. It works on Spanish power with a plug adapter and connects to any Wi-Fi. Your apps and login carry on working exactly as before.
Your device is still set to UK time. Change the time zone to Madrid (or Canary time on the islands) and refresh the guide.
Often, yes, if the mobile signal is good. Aim for at least 15 Mbps for HD, check your data allowance and place the router where the signal is strongest.
Yes. Spanish channels sit alongside UK and Irish ones in the same app, grouped by country.