The UK Ministry of Defence has signed a major 10-year contract with the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) to deliver expanded on-demand entertainment and media services to Armed Forces personnel and their families.
The deal will significantly broaden access to premium content, including top-flight football from the Premier League, rugby, the latest movies and series, podcasts, gaming, and up-to-date defence news.
The service aims to boost morale, reduce isolation during deployments, and keep service communities connected to home life, the government said in an accompanying statement on Friday (24 April).
Next-generation digital platform
A key focus of the renewed contract is the development of a modern digital platform that will future-proof media delivery.
This includes secure, on-the-go access across devices, with enhanced streaming capabilities suited to remote and challenging environments, government said.
BFBS currently offers up to 16 core channels via set-top boxes and more than 30 channels live and on-demand through its BFBS TV Player for overseas personnel.
The new agreement will expand these offerings, incorporating gaming and other interactive entertainment to better match the preferences of today’s service members, the government said.
Here is an example of the sports selection streaming on Saturday:
Saturday 25th April
- 0000 UKT – Phillies @ Braves (MLB) – TNT Sports
- 1100 UKT – Fulham v Aston Villa (Premier League) – TNT Sports
- 1100 UKT – West Bromwich Albion v Ipswich Town (EFL Championship) – Sky Sports
- 1225 UKT – Middlesbrough v Watford (EFL Championship) – BFBS Sport
- 1345 UKT – England v Wales (Women’s Six Nations) – BBC Two
- 1445 UKT – Saracens v Leicester Tigers (Gallagher Premiership) – BFBS Extra 2/BFBS Sport 2
- 1500 UKT – Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League) – BFBS Sport
- 1645 UKT – Manchester City v Southampton (FA Cup Semi Final) – BBC One
- 1700 UKT – Arsenal v Newcastle United (Premier League) – BFBS Sport
- 1700 UKT – Celtic v Falkirk (Scottish Premiership) Sky Sports
- 1715 UKT – Northampton Saints v Bath Rugby (Gallagher Premiership) BFBS Extra 2/BFBS Sport 2
- 2030 UKT – Cage Warriors 205: Glasgow – BFBS Sport
- 2300 UKT – UFC Prelims – TNT Sports
Overseas personnel get 30-35+ UK TV channels live and on-demand through the free BFBS TV Player app/website.
This includes the latest movie premieres, catch-up on recent films and series, plus dedicated movie and entertainment channels.
It works on mobiles, tablets, laptops, and connected TVs (Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, Google TV, Roku). Some content is restricted due to international rights, but the service is built to keep forces connected to home entertainment wherever they are.
Cinemas
Fixed cinemas operate across the UK, Cyprus, and the Falkland Islands. These venues screen the latest blockbusters alongside classic films, giving service members and families the classic cinema night experience, popcorn, mates, or family matinees on the big screen.
If you’re based near one, you can catch current releases without leaving base.
The group also offers Cinelink – which it dubs a ‘portable cinema in a box’. Designed specifically for units in remote locations or without a dedicated cinema, Cinelink is a compact device (roughly the size of a router) that plugs into any TV or projector via HDMI.
It downloads films directly turning messes, welfare hubs, or community venues into a private cinema for group screenings.
Two package options provide unlimited screenings. The flagship Cinelink Select lets units choose from the newest theatrical releases plus a deep library of classics.
Recent example titles include The Bride!, Scream 7, The Housemaid, Wuthering Heights, Send Help, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Anaconda, and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, with separate family-friendly selections.
It operates under a non-commercial, non-theatrical licence, so no admission can be charged, the service exists purely to boost morale and bring people together.
Gaming
BFBS has rapidly expanded into esports and interactive gaming to match the preferences of modern service personnel. The dedicated platform BFBS Esports (launched 2024) is the official competitive gaming home for the UK Armed Forces and wider defence community.
The new 10-year MOD contract announced today explicitly includes investment in new entertainment platforms including gaming.
This will integrate gaming more deeply into the next-generation digital platform, giving secure, on-the-go access even in contested or low-bandwidth environments – a significant upgrade from current offerings.
All BFBS streaming, cinema, and gaming services are free for eligible Armed Forces personnel and families and are designed to combat isolation, maintain morale, and keep service communities connected to UK culture while deployed.
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