Watch the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic to see Rory McIlroy make his season debut in the first Rolex Series event of the 2025 DP World Tour.
The four-time major champion will be joined on the Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai by a strong field that includes Liv Golf's Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. Other big names include Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Reed, Akshay Bhatia, and Viktor Hovland.
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic will take place over four days and four rounds from Thursday January 16 to Sunday January 19. The players will be competing for a prize pot of $9,000,000, not to mention Ryder Cup points (2,000) and Race to Dubai points (8,000).
Key information
► Dubai Desert Classic Dates: January 16-19, 2025
► Dubai Desert Classic Course: The Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club
► Dubai Desert Classic Top Players: Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood
► Dubai Desert Classic Streaming: Sling TV (US), Fancode (India)
► Dubai Desert Classic on TV: Golf Channel (US), Sky Sports (UK)
► Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN risk-free
Watch the Dubai Desert Classic golf in the US
Fans in the US can watch the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the Golf Channel.
Dubai Desert Classic TV Timings
• Thursday, January 16: 2:30am - 8.30am ET
• Friday, January 17: 2:30am - 8.30am ET
• Saturday, January 18: 2am - 8am ET
• Sunday, January 19: 2am - 8am ET
The Golf Channel is owned by NBC but the action won't make it to the broadcasting giant's main channel and will instead stay on the dedicated Golf Channel.
The Golf Channel is is available on cable TV packages, and existing cable customers can get a simulcast online via the NBC Sports App. However, there is no dedicated streaming option from NBC for this tournament, which won't be available on Peacock.
That means those looking to stream the Dubai Desert Classic will need to opt for a cord-cutting cable TV streaming service, which basically gets you cable TV, but online.
There are a fair few providers out there now, but two leading options are Sling TV and Fubo.
► Hero Dubai Desert Classic Odds, Picks And Predictions
Watch Dubai Desert Classic golf in the UK
Fans in the UK can watch the Dubai Desert Classic on Sky Sports. Plenty of the action will go out on the Sky Sports Main Event channel, but to not miss a minute Sky Sports Golf is the place to go.
UK viewers are spoilt, with more live coverage than anywhere else, with live broadcasts of featured groups starting each day from 4am ahead of the main broadcast from 7am.
Dubai Desert Classic TV Timings (UK)
• Thursday, January 16: 4am - 1.30pm GMT
• Friday, January 17: 4am - 1.30pm GMT
• Saturday, January 18: 4am - 1pm GMT
• Sunday, January 19: 4am - 1pm GMT
You can get Sky Sports on your television with a traditional satellite pay-TV package, which come with a minimum two-year contract. Sky does offer a streaming package but again on a 24-month plan and still with hardware in the form of the Sky Puck. Check out the latest Sky Sports deals and packages.
To watch Sky Sports online, existing TV subscribers can use the Sky Sports app. There is a dedicated streaming option for non-existing customers and those looking for less of a commitment, and it comes in the form of a third party: NowTV. The sports package on Now TV usually costs £34.99 but there's an offer live now where you get your first six months for £26 a month.
Away from the UK at the moment? You can still watch your usual Dubai Desert Classic streams by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
► Hero Dubai Desert Classic Prize Money Payout 2025
How to watch Dubai Desert Classic in Australia
Golf fans in Australia can watch the Dubai Desert Classic on TV on Fox Sports 503 and online on the Kayo Sports streaming platform.
Kayo subscriptions start at $25 a month, but there are currently two deals to choose between; you either get your first month for just $1 or you get a seven-day free trial.
Given the Middle Eastern location of the event, TV timings are more palatable for Australian golf fans with coverage starting at 3pm AEDT on all four days and running to 12.30am on the first two days and midnight on the last two days.
Are there any Dubai Desert Classic free streams?
There are no dedicated free broadcast options for the 2025 Dubai Desert Classics. However, there are a few offers and bargains out there.
For instance, some fans in Australia could technically watch the event for free, with Kayo Sports offering a seven-day free trial. The streaming service is also offering your first month at just $1. In both cases, you have to be a new customer. As outlined above, you can get your first month on Sling TV in the US at half-price, while there's a small discount on Now TV in the UK.
The cheapest broadcasting option for the Dubai Desert Classic comes from India, where the sports streaming platform Fancode shows many a golf tournament for stupidly low prices. A monthly pass will cost just ₹199 - that's $2.30 or £1.88. You can also get a season pass for around $10/£10. The catch is that coverage is geo-restricted to India.
► Five Key Takeaways From Rory McIlroy's Hero Dubai Desert Classic Press Conference
Watch the Hero Dubai Desert Classic Championship from anywhere
If you are outside your usual country you can still access the streaming services you subscribe to, even when you're away from home, thanks to a handy piece of software known as a VPN.
A Virtual Private Network – to give it the full name – can make your devices appear to be in any location, bypassing geo-restrictions so you can watch the things you've signed up for. It's perfect for watching golf from anywhere, and it comes with a host of internet security benefits, too.
Our expert colleagues over at TechRadar have tested loads of VPNs and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there right now.
Dubai Desert Classic Schedule: TV Timings
Thursday 16 January - Round One:
• US: 2:30am - 8.30am ET (Golf Channel)
• UK: 4am - 1.30pm GMT (Sky Sports Golf)
• Aus: 3pm - 12.30am AEDT (Fox Sports 503 / Kayo Sports)
Friday 17 January - Round Two
• US: 2:30am - 8.30am ET (Golf Channel)
• UK: 4am - 1.30pm GMT (Sky Sports Golf)
• Aus: 3pm - 12.30am AEDT (Fox Sports 503 / Kayo Sports)
Saturday 18 January - Round Three
• US: 2am - 8am ET (Golf Channel)
• UK: 4am - 1pm GMT (Sky Sports Golf)
• Aus: 3pm - 12am AEDT (Fox Sports 503 / Kayo Sports)
Sunday 19 January - Round Four
• US: 2am - 8am ET (Golf Channel)
• UK: 4am - 1pm GMT (Sky Sports Golf)
• Aus: 3pm - 12am AEDT (Fox Sports 503 / Kayo Sports)
Disclaimer
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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