YouTube Premium to add free Peacock access in US – and it’s good news for Premier League fans
Peacock is becoming part of the YouTube Premium proposition but not until early 2027
YouTube has announced a tidy little bonus for Premium subscribers: free access to NBC Universal’s Peacock streaming service. That means a host of top TV and movies and live sports like Premier League football matches, Major League Baseball and NBA basketball.
While YouTube Premium removes advertisements from most YouTube videos as the key benefit, subscribers will soon get access to the ad-based version of Peacock at no extra cost. The agreement comes into effect in early 2027, the companies say, and users will be able to pay a fee to upgrade to the ad-free version of the streaming service.
In a blog post, NBC Universal wrote: “Beginning in early 2027, Peacock Premium will be included in a bundle with YouTube Premium, making it immediately available to millions of existing YouTube Premium subscribers, substantially expanding Peacock’s reach and making it one of the most broadly distributed premium streaming services in the U.S.
“Subscribers will receive seamless access to Peacock within the YouTube experience, featuring marquee live sports including the NFL, Olympics, NBA, MLB, Big Ten and Notre Dame Football, Big 12, Big East and Big Ten College Basketball, Premier League, WNBA, Kentucky Derby, golf and more, hit series such as Love Island USA, The Real Housewives franchise, Law & Order: SVU, Saturday Night Live, The Traitors, All Her Fault and The Office; and award-winning and blockbuster films.”
The new partnership is a nice bonus for YouTube Premium subscribers who saw the price rise last month. It now costs $16 per month for an individual or $27 for the family plan. That was a rise of $2 and $4 respectively.
It’s a shame the deal doesn’t come into effect immediately given the start of the Premier League, NFL and college football seasons are right around the corner, and the NBA season gets underway again in November. Consider it a mid-season boost.
Chris Smith
