Today's game between Stoke City and Middlesbrough will kick off at 13 Oct 2026, 20:00.
Gemini
Stoke City vs Middlesbrough is available to watch live in the UK. TV channel and live stream options are listed below.
 | ||
 | ||
 | ||
 |
Stoke City host Middlesbrough at the Bet365 Stadium in the EFL Championship, with both sides carrying momentum into a fixture that matters at both ends of the table.
Mark Robins' Stoke arrive in good shape. Four wins from their last five Championship outings have lifted them into the top half, and their most recent result — a victory over Bolton Wanderers — extended a run that has seen them beat Sheffield United and Watford in recent weeks.
Middlesbrough sit second in the Championship, and Kim Hellberg's side are making a strong case for automatic promotion. They beat Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend and have won three of their last four league games.
Off the pitch, Hellberg has been dealing with the fallout from the Spygate scandal that drew widespread attention earlier this month. The Middlesbrough boss has since confirmed that Southampton manager Tonda Eckert contacted him privately to apologise, and Hellberg has indicated he is ready to move on from the controversy.
Eckert, whose club was at the centre of the affair, avoided an immediate touchline ban after the Football Association handed him a suspended six-week ban and a fine. He will be in the dugout for Southampton's upcoming fixtures.
With Middlesbrough chasing a top-two finish and Stoke looking to push into contention from fourth, this is a Championship fixture with genuine stakes. Here is everything you need to know about how to watch it live.
Invest in leading cryptoassets
Trade a wide range of cryptoassets alongside stocks, ETFs and more from one account.
Disclaimer: Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more at https://etoro.tw/44JRWLY.
How to watch Stoke City vs Middlesbrough 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.
Team news & squads
Stoke City vs Middlesbrough Probable lineups
Manager
- M. Robins
Stoke City are managed by Mark Robins. No injury or suspension information has been confirmed for the home side ahead of this fixture, and team news will be updated closer to kick-off.
Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg also has no confirmed injury or suspension concerns listed at this stage. Further squad updates are expected in the days leading up to the match.
Form
Stoke City arrive in strong form, winning four of their last five matches across all competitions. Their most recent outing ended in a 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers, and they also claimed wins against Sheffield United (2-1), Watford (2-1), and Charlton Athletic (4-0), with a 1-1 draw against Cardiff City the only dropped points in that run. Stoke scored 10 goals and conceded three across those five matches.
Middlesbrough have also been in solid form, winning three and drawing two of their last five games. Their most recent result was a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, and they posted a 4-3 victory over Norwich City earlier in the run. Two draws — 2-2 against Birmingham City and 2-2 against Millwall — and a 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace round out the picture. Boro scored 10 goals and conceded seven across those five outings.
Head-to-Head Record
The most recent meeting between these sides came in January 2026, when Middlesbrough won 2-1 at the Bet365 Stadium in the Championship. Across the last five meetings, Middlesbrough have the stronger record, winning three times to Stoke's one, with one draw. The most notable result in that sequence was a 5-0 Carabao Cup victory for Middlesbrough at their own ground in August 2024.
Standings
| # | P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | PTS | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 7 | +8 | 20 | ||
| 2 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 18 | ||
| 3 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 12 | +11 | 16 | ||
| 4 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 16 | ||
| 5 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 14 | ||
| 6 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 14 | ||
| 7 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 14 | ||
| 8 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 15 | +1 | 14 | ||
| 9 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 14 | ||
| 10 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 13 | -1 | 14 | ||
| 11 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 13 | ||
| 12 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 11 | -3 | 13 | ||
| 13 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 12 | ||
| 14 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 12 | ||
| 15 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 13 | -3 | 11 | ||
| 16 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 11 | ||
| 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 17 | -5 | 10 | ||
| 18 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 19 | -2 | 9 | ||
| 19 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 11 | -2 | 8 | ||
| 20 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 8 | ||
| 21 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 14 | -3 | 7 | ||
| 22 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 7 | ||
| 23 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 6 | ||
| 24 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 16 | -8 | 4 |
Middlesbrough sit second in the Championship, firmly in the automatic promotion places, while Stoke City are fourth — close enough to the top two to make this a meaningful test for both sides' ambitions.
Step-by-step VPN guide to watch Stoke City vs Middlesbrough 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.