Disney+, Apple TV and Prime Video beware – HBO Max's European rollout is surprisingly soon
One of the biggest streaming services in the US will finally arrive in Europe in January
Quick Summary
HBO Max will launch in Europe on 13 January, although its debut in the UK and Ireland will follow in March.
The streaming service and home to Game of Thrones will initially be available in Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.
We've known for a while that HBO Max was to expand to Europe in 2026, but it has been revealed that it's coming even sooner than previously expected.
The streaming service is home to the likes of Game of Thrones, Succession, The Last of Us, and The White Lotus, as well as some classics, such as The Sopranos and Curb Your Enthusiasm. So it's launch outside of the US has been eagerly-awaited.
Thankfully, you won't have much longer to wait – if you're in certain European locations, that is. It'll launch on 13 January 2026 in just about every region previously announced –Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.
Potential subscribers in the UK and Ireland will finally get it a couple of months later – in March.
The CEO of HBO Max, Casey Bloys, revealed during a recent briefing in London that the British and Irish version will be available this spring. And, according to Variety, there's even good news for Sky TV customers – they'll be able to continue to watch HBO content as part of their subscription after the streamer launches.
Sky has held the rights to HBO programming for many years, with new shows debuting on Sky Atlantic. However, the new streaming service will mean that other TV platforms will now be able to offer similar incentives to their own customers.
You'll also be able to subscribe to HBO Max independently.
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How will the sale of Warner Bros Discovery affect launch plans?
The move comes after the announcement that Friends – a show made by HBO's owner Warner Bros Discovery – was being removed from Netflix UK as of the end of December.
The timing suggests that it will be available to watch in full on HBO Max instead.
Ironically though, Netflix is the forerunner in the current bidding battle for Warner Bros Discovery, with Paramount now looking less likely to buy the TV and movie giant.
And the outcome of that acquisition will surely have ramifications on the future of HBO Max.
For now, all we know is that TNT Sports coverage will also switch from Discovery+ to HBO Max when it launches in the UK in March.
Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.
Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.
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