A mid-week war of words has brought an edge to this FA Cup quarter-final clash between Middlesbrough and Chelsea. The Blues had pushed for fans to be barred from the stadium, a proposal that raised eyebrows across the sporting spectrum and incurred the disdain of Boro chairman Steve Gibson. Prepare for an interesting encounter. Here's how to watch a Middlesbrough vs Chelsea live stream, no matter where you are in the world - including free-to-air coverage in some places.
- Middlesbrough vs Chelsea free live stream: BBC iPlayer (opens in new tab) (UK) | 10Play (opens in new tab) (AU)
Date: Saturday, March 19
Start time: 5.15pm GMT / 1.15pm ET / 10.15am PT / 4.15am AEDT / 6.15am NZDT
Venue: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
Free live stream: BBC iPlayer (opens in new tab) (UK) | 10Play (opens in new tab) (AU)
Watch from anywhere: ExpressVPN (opens in new tab)
US stream: ESPN Plus (US)
Chelsea's off-field issues have garnered both scorn and sympathy, but their bid to get this fixture played behind closed doors in the interests of "sporting integrity" was misguided to say the least. It doesn't take much to make Chris Wilder grumpy, and he'll make sure his team's fired up for this one.
Middlesbrough have developed a taste for Premier League clubs this season, having dumped out Manchester United and Tottenham in the previous rounds, though their previously excellent Championship form has cooled a little of late.
Thomas Tuchel's men can expect to receive a hostile reception at the Riverside Stadium but the Roman Abramovich saga has imbued Chelsea with a renewed focus and form, notching five wins on the spin. Here's how to get a Middlesbrough vs Chelsea live stream and watch the FA Cup quarter-final online today.
- Related: how to watch a Premier League live stream
How to watch Middlesbrough vs Chelsea: live stream FA Cup for FREE in the UK
How to watch Middlesbrough vs Chelsea from outside your country
We've recommended some of the best places to live stream Middlesbrough vs Chelsea below, but you might run into a problem trying to access them if you're outside of your country. This is because of something called geo-blocking.
Simply follow our VPN advice below and you'll soon be around that issue with a great bit of software that allows you to relocate your device back to your country of residence - thereby regaining access to all the streaming services and content you normally enjoy at home.
Use a VPN to live stream Middlesbrough vs Chelsea from anywhere
How to use a VPN
Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...
1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN
2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location, eg: 'UK' for iPlayer and ITV Hub.
3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to your home broadcaster's site or app and watch as if you were at home - BBC iPlayer (opens in new tab) for UK citizens abroad.