Friday Night Kickoff: Your Ultimate Guide to Jan 23, 2026 Football Broadcasts

Football fans around the world are in for a packed Friday, January 23, 2026, with a slate of important matches across Europe, Africa, and Asia. This guide breaks down what to watch, where to watch, and who will be calling the action, so you can plan your evening without consulting three different clocks and a map of streaming services.

Broadcast partners and how to watch

Exclusive coverage for several leagues and cups is provided by beIN SPORTS in the Spanish La Liga and the French Ligue 1, complemented by online options via TOD TV. The Italian Serie A streams through another platform, stc TV, while the Saudi First Division and domestic fixtures are available on the Eight app. For regional and international action in Africa, beIN SPORTS also carries the CAF competitions, with additional coverage on Dubai Sports 1 and Al Kass 1 for regional events. If you’re overseas, a VPN service can help you access streams as if you were back home, because nothing says “global game” like watching football in every timezone from your sofa.

In short, there are multiple routes to watch your favorite teams, depending on your league and location. The setup is a bit like choosing a dessert: there are many good options, you just have to pick the one that suits your palate and your data plan.

Today’s fixtures by league and key crossovers

Across Italy, England, Spain, and France, fans will be treated to several marquee matchups. Notably, Pisa hosts Inter Milan in Serie A, a clash that can influence the upper-table narrative. In La Liga, Levante faces Elche, a fixture that could tilt the mid-table balance early in the year. The Bundesliga offers a regional taste with St. Pauli welcoming Hamburg, a game that could offer a spark in the lower-to-mid table mix. In Ligue 1, Paris Saint‑Germain duels with Auxerre, a test of PSG’s consistency against a hungry opponent seeking momentum. Saudi and North African leagues populate the evening’s card with domestic intrigue, while the Saudi Yelo league’s early-season schedule offers another path to watch live action.

On the continental stage, CAF Champions League action features Al Ahly versus Young Africans and Al Hilal Omdurman against Mamelodi Sundowns, pairing storied clubs with high-stakes expectations. The Asia Cup U23 bronze match pits Vietnam against Korea Republic in a fixture that doubles as a showcase for rising talents and a potential indicator of future senior-team form.

To round out the schedule, viewers can expect a detailed table of kickoff times, with local times listed for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other regions, making it easier to calibrate your evening around the world. The full list of matches and commentators is typically published in advance, so keep an eye on your preferred broadcaster for the final call on who will be on the mic for each game.

In this report, Kooora guides you through Friday’s matches for January 23, 2026, highlighting the channels and commentators for each key fixture.

We’ll also note how to access the complete schedule and catch any late changes or additions as kickoff approaches, because nothing ruins a perfectly good pre-game meal like a last-minute kickoff time shuffle.

What channels broadcast the Friday matches, January 23, 2026?

Watch the Spanish La Liga and French Ligue 1, plus the Asia Cup U23 bronze game, on beIN SPORTS. The TOD TV platform provides online access for selected fixtures. Serie A broadcasts appear on stc TV, while the Saudi First Division is available through the Eight app. Africa’s CAF competitions are covered by beIN SPORTS, with regional options on Dubai Sports 1 and Al Kass 1 for specific events. Overseas viewers should explore VPN options to stream from different regions if needed.

Other notable access points include Nord VPN for geo-restricted streams, and local broadcaster lists that sometimes change due to rights deals. Always verify the channel lineup on the day of the matches, as cross-border rights are a frequent source of last-minute reshuffles and surprise commentators.

For broader viewing, the schedule also points toward a dedicated fan portal and a live results hub that aggregates channel availability, times, and announcers for each listed match. If you like to plan ahead, you’ll want to cross-check the entry for each game as kickoff nears, since the commentators often rotate with the subs and the occasion.

And if you’re feeling especially nationalistic, you can always cheer for your own team and accuse the TV director of bias later—after all, football is a sport that thrives on healthy banter and dramatic pauses before the whistle.

Tip: if you’re watching from outside your home country, consider a VPN to access geo-blocked streams, but don’t forget to switch it off before you reach the fourth ad break of the night. Sniper-level patience may be required when waiting for a buffer to clear, but the payoff is a clean, uninterrupted view of the action.

In any case, this Friday promises a diverse lineup with something for everyone, from bustling league clashes to continental showdowns and a potential breakout performance in the Asia Cup U23 bronze final. Buckle in, predict the score, and enjoy the ride—especially if your team scores late and your snacks disappear seconds later.

Final note: if you’re late to the party, don’t panic. There are replay options and condensed highlights that make it possible to catch up without losing your social life completely. Because sometimes the best drama is the one you can binge on a lazy Saturday morning, preferably with coffee and a whisper-thin playlist in the background.

Two light-hearted punchlines to end on a high note: 1) My fantasy football team is so realistic, it files taxes and asks for overtime. 2) I told my TV, “If you score a goal while I’m cooking, I’ll season the victory with extra pepper.” If that doesn’t make you smile, you might be watching a different sport entirely — the one where clocks run faster than commentary.