Today's game between Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa will kick off at 9:00 a.m.
TV channel and live stream options for Brighton vs Aston Villa are listed below.
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Brighton & Hove Albion host Aston Villa at the American Express Community Stadium on Sunday, August 23, as both sides open their Premier League 2026/27 campaigns with plenty of unresolved business off the pitch.
Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton come into the match with questions to answer. A goalless draw in Norway against Tromso in the first leg of their Conference League play-off left the manager openly critical of his side's output, and the Seagulls face this opener without a settled squad. Carlos Baleba is closing in on a £70 million move to Manchester United, while Yankuba Minteh remains at the club only after Brighton rejected a second £60 million bid from Liverpool.
Villa arrive at the Amex having endured a turbulent summer of their own. Ezri Konsa has completed a £55 million move to Arsenal, leaving Unai Emery short of cover at the back. The Spaniard is reportedly pursuing Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo as a replacement, and the club has also been linked with Monaco striker Folarin Balogun as they look to reshape the squad before the transfer window closes.
Emery has further concerns up front. The Villa manager publicly admitted that Ollie Watkins could leave the club amid interest from Saudi Arabia, adding uncertainty to a forward line that also lacks Tammy Abraham and Leon Bailey through injury.
Villa enter the new season sitting third in the Premier League table, while Brighton are placed fifth. Both clubs need a positive start, and the early-season context gives this opener genuine edge.
Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Brighton vs Aston Villa, including TV channel, live stream details and kick-off time.
How to watch Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa with VPN
If you are travelling abroad or just want to access your usual streaming services from a different part of the world, you may run into geo-restrictions. This is where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comes in handy.
A VPN, such as ExpressVPN, allows you to establish a secure, encrypted connection online. By virtually changing your location to a country where the game is being broadcast, you can bypass blackout restrictions and watch your favourite team live. A step-by-step guide is described later in this article, or you can also check out our guide to the best VPNs for streaming sports.
Confirmed team news & squads
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa lineups
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Starting XI
Substitutes
Manager
- F. Hurzeler
- U. Emery
Fabian Hurzeler is without several key players for Brighton's season opener. Stefanos Tzimas, Evan Ferguson, Carlos Baleba, and Yankuba Minteh are all listed as unavailable. With those absences in mind, Hurzeler's projected XI includes Bart Verbruggen in goal, with a back line of Ferdi Kadioglu, Luka Vuskovic, Olivier Boscagli, and Maxim De Cuyper. Mats Wieffer, Diego Gomez, Jack Hinshelwood, and Yasin Ayari are set to operate in midfield, with Pascal Gross and Georginio Rutter leading the attack.
Unai Emery is dealing with a lengthy injury list of his own. Amadou Onana, Leon Bailey, Johan Manzambi, Tammy Abraham, Brian Madjo, and Joao Gomes are all ruled out. Emery's projected XI features Marco Bizot in goal, with Ian Maatsen, Pau Torres, Matty Cash, and Victor Nilsson Lindeloef across the back four. Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley, and John McGinn are expected in midfield, with Alejandro Garnacho and Emiliano Buendia supporting Ollie Watkins in attack.
Injuries and Suspensions
Form
Brighton head into the new season on a run of four wins from their last five matches across all competitions, though the quality of opposition has been mixed. Their most recent outing ended in a 0-0 draw at Tromso in the Conference League play-off first leg, a result that prompted Hurzeler to call for improvement. Prior to that, the Seagulls beat Bologna 1-0 in a friendly and thrashed Roma 3-0, and they recorded back-to-back 4-3 wins over Strasbourg in pre-season. Brighton scored 12 goals across those five matches and conceded six.
Aston Villa's recent record makes for harder reading. Emery's side lost four of their last five matches, with their only win coming against BG Pathum United in a pre-season friendly. Villa were beaten 2-1 by Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup, lost 2-1 to both Borussia Moenchengladbach and Bayern Munich in friendlies, and were beaten 4-2 by Real Sociedad. They scored seven goals and conceded nine across those five outings.
Head-to-Head Record
Head to Head
The most recent meeting between these sides took place on February 11, 2026, when Aston Villa beat Brighton 1-0 at Villa Park in the Premier League. Across the last five Premier League encounters, Villa have won three times to Brighton's two, with both clubs producing some high-scoring affairs. A particularly dramatic fixture at the Amex in December 2025 ended 3-4 to Villa, while Brighton won the corresponding fixture in April 2025 by the same 3-0 scoreline that Villa had recorded earlier that month.
Standings
Step-by-step VPN guide to watch Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa today
NordVPN- Download & Install: Sign up to ExpressVPN or another reputable VPN service (check out GOAL's guide here) and download the app on your device.
- Connect to a Server: Open the app and select a server location where the match is being shown (e.g. if you are in the UK but want to watch a US stream, connect to a US server).
- Clear Cache: Sometimes your browser holds onto your old location. Clear your cookies or refresh your browser to ensure the change takes effect.
- Start Streaming: Go to your broadcaster's website and app and enjoy the game.
How to watch on the Big Screen
Watching on your phone or laptop is fine, but live sports belongs on the big screen. Here is how to get the VPN working on your TV:
- Smart TVs & Fire Stick: Most Android-based TVs and devices like the Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast with Google TV have native VPN apps. Simply search for your VPN provider in the app store on your TV, log in, and connect just like you would on your phone.
- Apple TV, Roku & Consoles: These devices often don't support direct VPN apps. The easiest workaround is to use Smart DNS (usually found in your VPN account settings) or Mirror/Cast the stream from your VPN-connected phone or laptop to your TV.