Hi, everyone !!
While 'Black Friday' itself may have come and gone the current Roku channel publishing blackout, for which I provided full details as part of my "Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #350" post exactly one week ago, remains in full effect (right over this weekend) through 'Cyber Monday' and will only come to an end on Tuesday 3rd December 2019. As a direct consequence of this, much like last time, there were ZERO NEW CHANNELS RELEASED IN THE LAST SEVEN DAYS and that means my usual list of all the latest additions to the Roku Channel Store is totally redundant, in so far as this 'Weekly RoundUp' post is concerned, because it's entirely devoid of any new apps! :-(
As you might expect, with no Roku channels for me to list in this 'Weekly RoundUp' post, there have also been no 'Roku Guide' reviews published during the last seven days. From their perspective, at least, the absence of any new apps for them to review means the ongoing issue of "missing" reviews from the 'Roku Guide' website has (likewise) not worsened since my last mention of it on this blog. Even so, they remain more than seventy-five percent shy of where they should be and when things pick-up (once the current channel publishing blackout ends) there'll still be hundreds more Roku apps with no corresponding independent review for me to provide a link from the 'Weekly RoundUp' posts on this blog. I hope that shortfall is addressed soon because, as mentioned 44 weeks ago, the current situation isn't good for anyone: be they end-users, developers, bloggers like myself, or even Roku - whose platform provides the very source from which 'Roku Guide' compile their reviews! :-O
With the Roku (and Roku-related) bargains set to continue for at least a few more days, I will try to update this article with details of any special offers that I come across during that time. This could include things like voucher codes (or other offers) for streaming services, discounts on products from Roku themselves (TOP TIP: keep an eye on the right-hand sidebar of this blog for those updates), or anything else I find, in-between trying to blag a few (more) bargains for myself! ;-) :-D So, do keep checking back on Sunday and (Cyber) Monday because the content of this article may well expand from one hour to the next as I report on anything (and everything) which may be of interest! ;-) :-)
The first thing I'd like to draw your attention to is how following details, published last week, which confirmed the Manufacturer's Recommended Selling Prices (MRSP's) on the new range of Roku TV's from Hisense, it has since come to light, that the flagship 65-inch screen size [Model: R65B7120UK] is being sold by Argos for fifty pounds over and above the MRSP of £649.00 and anyone wishing to purchase this top-of-the-range Roku TV is therefore expected to pay the rather extortionate sum of £699.00 for the privilege. Here's what the Argos Customer Services team had to say on the matter:-
"This is a recommended selling price and not what we have to sell the item at, this can be based on how much the manufacturer sells them to us at which can vary with how many we purchase from them. The price on our website is our current selling price"
- Jenny (via @ArgosHelpers)
For those who may not have read the original press release - a link to which was provided in my previous "Roku UK Channel Store Weekly RoundUp #350" post from last week - the entire range of Hisense Roku TV's are initially available in the UK exclusively through Argos. This situation highlights one of the major problems with exclusivity, in so much as the lack of any competition (price-wise) means they can effectively charge whatever they want. So, let's hope that Hisense UK can manage to market these Roku TV's through several other outlets and bring the cost down to (at least) the suggested price-point of £649.00 or, hopefully, even lower than that! ;-) :-D
By way of comparison, the same sized Hisense R7 Series 65-inch Roku TV is currently on sale at just $449.99 (i.e. $100 OFF the MRSP) in the United States. Converting these figures to British Pounds gives an equivalent sale price of just £349.43 (based on an equivalent MRSP of £427.03) which is already a significant saving over what we are being asked to pay for the same technology / screen size in the UK. Turning things around, and looking at the U.S. Dollar equivalents of the current MRSP plus the actual selling price of this 65-inch Roku TV model in the United Kingdom, we get an MRSP of $835.77 (based on the UK MRSP of £649.00) and an equivalent price of $903.63 (based on a current selling price of £699.00 via Argos) which, from an UK perspective, is over-pricing in the extreme! :-O
Putting that into perspective, UK consumers are being asked to pay the equivalent of USD $453.64 extra for what is basically the same product that is currently on sale for just USD $449.99 - i.e. we must fork-over MORE THAN DOUBLE what U.S. consumers pay - which, even with the (slight) added bonus of having 'Freeview Play' built-in, doesn't sit quite right with me. Could it be another case of "Rip-Off Britain" perhaps? Feel free to comment below, if you have any thoughts on the matter… but I, for one, am currently feeling somewhat disenchanted with the situation as it stands! :-(
The next update I have for you concerns another tantalising 'Black Friday' offer from 'NOW TV' and follows-on from the tasty treat offered to sports fans last week which remains valid until Wednesday. This time around it's avid streamers of films and TV shows who'll get the most benefit, with savings of OVER 60% OFF the usual price, with a special bundle of 'Entertainment' and 'Sky Cinema' passes that will have you covered for the next twelve months - just in time for the next 'Black Friday' deal! ;-)
HINT: Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!
As can be seen from the above screenshot image of the promotional banner, which is displayed on the official 'NOW TV' website, for a one-off payment of £99.00 (ninety-nine pounds) in advance you will be SAVING OVER £150.00 OFF THE USUAL COST of buying separate monthly 'NOW TV' passes for both 'Entertainment' and 'Sky Cinema' over the same twelve-month period. Anyone interested in taking advantage of this limited-time 'Black Friday' deal, due to end 23:59 (11:59pm) on Wednesday 4th December 2019, here are the full terms and conditions (T&C's) of the offer:-
12 months Sky Cinema and Entertainment for £99: Offer ends 04/12/2019 at 23:59. Passes auto-renew at standard prices after 12 months unless cancelled (currently: Sky Cinema at £11.99pm and Entertainment at £8.99pm). Available for new customers and existing customers without a Sky Cinema or Entertainment Pass. Existing customer offers can be found in offers area of My Account. Offer not available to existing customers currently billed by a third party such as Vodafone or Apple. Not available in conjunction with any other NOW TV offer.
Sky Cinema: 18+. UK only. NOW TV account required, set up with debit/credit card (Visa or Mastercard accepted). Content streamed via broadband/3G/4G (charge may apply) (min. speed 2.5Mbps). Register up to six compatible devices and watch on two at the same time. Chromecast counts as two devices. Some content unavailable on some devices, see nowtv.com. Roku LT, XS or 3 and UK account required to watch on Roku. Ongoing monthly prices and channels subject to change.
Entertainment Pass: 18+. UK only. NOW TV account required, set up with debit/credit card (Visa or Mastercard accepted). Content streamed via broadband/3G/4G (charge may apply) (min. speed 2.5Mbps). Register up to six compatible devices and watch on two at the same time. Chromecast counts as two devices. Some content unavailable on some devices, see nowtv.com. Roku LT, XS or 3 and UK account required to watch on Roku. Ongoing monthly prices and channels subject to change.
Aside from the fact these T&C's could probably use an update, as regards compatibility with the current generation of devices (i.e. Roku Express, Roku Streaming Stick+, and all Roku TV models), the good news is that this offer is available to both new and existing customers who are (currently) without either a 'Sky Cinema' or 'Entertainment' pass on their 'NOW TV' account. The bad news, as far as existing customers are concerned, is that those billed by a third party (e.g. Vodafone or Apple) for their 'NOW TV' purchases sadly won't be eligible for this 'Black Friday' deal. Those who do get this deal should, however, remember to cancel (well) before the twelve months are up... to avoid any of the fees associated with the auto-renewal of these services (as monthly passes) at the year's end!
ONCE AGAIN: Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!
For anyone not willing to commit in the long-term to any of the current 'NOW TV' offers, there are also several deals covering the more "short term" use of their service (typically 1-month only) that may appeal. You can easily view all 'Black Friday' deals from 'NOW TV' online via their website, if you'd like to browse through the specific offers available. Personally though, as a regular streamer of films, TV shows, and sports from 'NOW TV', I feel the savings to be made by subscribing in the long term - particularly when (as with the 'Sky Sports Month Pass' offer) you are still paying monthly, only at a much lower price - are well worth signing-up for. Granted the upfront payment method which is required for other 'Black Friday' offers from 'NOW TV' (including the one outlined above) will not be an option for those who don't want (or can't afford) to pay a large lump sum for a year in advance but, for those who do, it has the added benefit of not having to shop around for bargains every month just to maintain what is effectively a long-term subscription that is paid-for on a short-term basis! ;-) :-D
In other NowTV-related news this week, viewers of 'BT TV' shared details of 'Sky Sports Box Office' being added to 'Channel 496' as part of an update to 'YouView' boxes supplied to 'BT TV' customers. This followed recent reports from members of the 'Digital Spy' community who had observed the full complement of 'Sky Sports' channels appearing (briefly) on the 'YouView' version of the 'NOW TV' app, before promptly disappearing again, which suggests testing is nearing completion as regards the full roll-out of 'Sky Sports' to 'BT TV' customers. The significance of this to UK Roku users, and all other subscribers to the 'NOW TV' service, is that it's another step towards completion of the channel sharing agreement between 'BT' and 'Sky' which was made nearly two years ago. Another aspect of the deal was to bring an app (i.e. Roku channel) for 'BT Sport' to 'NOW TV' streaming products and, by association, that should (hopefully) also include UK Roku devices. So, with any luck, we could be looking at streaming 'BT Sports' via Roku / Roku-Powered™streaming devices in the UK very soon. Meanwhile, if you wish to enjoy 'Sky Sports Box Office' on your Roku player(s) in the UK, there is a way to add it (using ACCESS CODE: skysportsboxoffice) via the "Add channel with a code" feature of your online Roku account. So, if you'd like to stream the Pay-Per-View (PPV) heavyweight boxing rematch between Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua on Saturday 7th December 2019, then you can! ;-) :-D
Another UK-based streaming service I've been keeping an eye on of late is 'BritBox' and while they sadly do not (yet) have an app for the Roku platform in the UK, despite having an existing Roku app available in the channel store for customers in the U.S. and Canada, there are signs on social media that one is in the pipeline and could well be released in the not too distant future... as the following screenshot images from the 'BritBox Help UK' Twitter Feed: @BritBoxHelpUK can attest:-
Both tweets pictured above were published within the 10-day period prior to this 'Weekly RoundUp' post and there have been (at least) one half dozen more tweets on the subject in the last week alone. With that in mind, I thought it might not be entirely out-of-place if I were to share details for some of the programming that is set to arrive on the 'BritBox UK' service throughout January 2020:-
2nd January 2020
Death in Paradise Seasons 1-7 (2011-2018)
DI Jack Mooney, played by Ben Miller, Kris Marshall and finally Ardal O’Hanlon, and his team hunt for clues in complex murder cases on the beautiful, sun-drenched Caribbean island of Saint Marie.
9th January 2020
The Last Post (2017)
Drama series set in the mid-sixties, in which a unit of Royal Military Police officers and their families deal with the challenges of politics, love and war in British-controlled Aden. Starring Jessie Buckley, Jeremy Neumark Jones, Tom Glynn-Carney and Jessica Raine
NW (2016)
TV adaptation of Zadie Smith’s novel exploring the uneasy questions of race, gender and class. Two childhood friends from the same north London council estate grow up to lead vastly different lives. Starring Phoebe Fox, Richie Campbell and Nikki Amuka-Bird.
Harry’s Arctic Heroes (2011)
A documentary covering a special expedition undertaken by Prince Harry and a team of wounded servicemen as they attempted a gruelling 200-mile charity trek to the North Pole.
16th January 2020
Paula (2017)
A three-part thriller about Paula, a chemistry teacher whose life is turned upside down after a onenight stand with James. They become locked in a dance of destruction. Only one can survive. Starring Denise Gough, Tom Hughes and Siobhán Cullen.
Cradle to the Grave (2015)
Award-winning writer Jeff Pope tells the story of the Baker family in this lively 70s-set sitcom. Based on broadcaster Danny Baker’s childhood, it follows his working-class family through the ups and downs of life in South London. Starring Peter Kay, Laurie Kynaston and Lucy Speed.
23rd January 2020
The Moorside (2017)
A two-part drama series based on the kidnapping and subsequent search for Yorkshire schoolgirl Shannon Matthews. Starring Sheridan Smith, Sian Brooke and Faye McKeever.
Press (2018)
Drama series about the lives of the editors and journalists working at a left-leaning broadsheet and a populist tabloid. Starring Charlotte Riley, David Suchet and Ben Chaplin.
30th January 2020
The C Word (2015)
An adaptation of Lisa Lynch’s candid book about her experience of cancer, based on her popular blog which was launched shortly after her diagnosis. The film is a defiant, ballsy and surprisingly funny story of life, love and cancer. Starring Sheridan Smith and Paul Nicholls.
These regular weekly additions to the on-demand library of the 'BritBox UK' streaming service will further extend their original programming line-up (available from launch) and follow-on from their (previously announced) collection of 'Doctor Who' box-sets, due to arrive on Boxing Day this year. With British TV box-sets from 'All 4' and British films from 'Film 4' also set to launch on the service in 2020, together with even more of the very best in past, present & future British programming plus additional award-winning content, it might soon be worth investigating a free trial of the service! ;-)
All of which brings me nicely on to my next "special offer" find... and, although restricted to those with compatible Samsung TV models (2018 and newer), the option of an extended 90-day free trial (versus the usual 30-day free trial period) may prove tempting enough for any Roku streamers who happen to own one of the eligible televisions from 'Samsung' and will be able to enjoy 'BritBox UK' via the app for Samsung Smart TV's even before it becomes available on the Roku platform in UK!
As can be seen from the small-print in the above promo banner, the extended free trial has been made possible by a partnership between 'BritBox UK' and 'Samsung' whereby subscribers will get an extra 60 days for free (courtesy of Samsung) on top of the usual 30-day free trial offered by 'BritBox UK' and, at the end of the (extended) trial period, the subscription continues at a cost of £5.99 per month unless it is cancelled beforehand. To claim the offer, subscribe at www.britbox.co.uk/samsung by clicking on the "Claim your offer" button on that webpage then enter the promo code displayed on your Samsung TV when instructed. Meanwhile, for anyone interested, the "Terms of Use" associated with this 'Black Friday' Samsung TV offer from 'BritBox UK' are as follows:-
Given this 'Black Friday' offer from 'Samsung TV' and 'BritBox UK' is only valid for one more week (or thereabouts) you will need to act fast if you wish to claim it. Granted it's a bit of a gamble but, if you're lucky, there might even be a substantial portion of the extended 90-day free trial remaining by the time the Roku channel (app) for 'BritBox UK' is added to the channel store in the UK. So, if you do happen to own a compatible Samsung Smart TV, this might be a good opportunity to get a longer free trial without having to wait for the Roku app to be released and thereby steal a march on the rest of us! ;-)
One of the partners in 'BritBox UK' is the 'BBC' and, through no small coincidence, it is they who are the focus of the next Roku-related news item that I have to share with you. This will mainly appeal to those who follow football and, in particular, to fans of Liverpool FC since (as Champions of Europe) they will be representing the European continent in the '2019 FIFA Club World Cup' for which 'BBC' have just won the UK broadcast rights. The competition kicks off on 11th December and, as in other years, the tournament will feature the champions of six continents. Joining Liverpool are Brazilian side Flamengo, who beat Argentina's River Plate to win the Copa Libertadores and secure their spot. Also, in this year's contest, are Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, Tunisia's Esperance de Tunis and Monterrey from Mexico, as well as Oceanian champions Hienghene Sport - from the tiny Pacific island of New Caledonia - while host team Al-Sadd complete the seven-team line-up.
The BBC will broadcast every 2019 FIFA Club World Cup match live from Qatar this December. Liverpool's games will be shown live on BBC TV and every other match will be available to watch online and on the BBC iPlayer. Philip Bernie, Head of BBC TV Sport, said:
Liverpool's first match will be at the semi-final stage on 18th December, followed by either the final or third-place play-off on 21st December 2019. The current Premier League leaders also took part in the competition in 2005, following their Champions League triumph in Istanbul, but lost 1-0 to Sao Paulo in the final. Real Madrid are the current holders having defeated Al-Ain 4-1 in Abu Dhabi last year. Anyone from the UK who is interested in streaming the 2019 tournament on their Roku device(s) can find a full fixture list in this complete 'BBC' schedule for the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup online! ;-)
In other NowTV-related news this week, viewers of 'BT TV' shared details of 'Sky Sports Box Office' being added to 'Channel 496' as part of an update to 'YouView' boxes supplied to 'BT TV' customers. This followed recent reports from members of the 'Digital Spy' community who had observed the full complement of 'Sky Sports' channels appearing (briefly) on the 'YouView' version of the 'NOW TV' app, before promptly disappearing again, which suggests testing is nearing completion as regards the full roll-out of 'Sky Sports' to 'BT TV' customers. The significance of this to UK Roku users, and all other subscribers to the 'NOW TV' service, is that it's another step towards completion of the channel sharing agreement between 'BT' and 'Sky' which was made nearly two years ago. Another aspect of the deal was to bring an app (i.e. Roku channel) for 'BT Sport' to 'NOW TV' streaming products and, by association, that should (hopefully) also include UK Roku devices. So, with any luck, we could be looking at streaming 'BT Sports' via Roku / Roku-Powered™streaming devices in the UK very soon. Meanwhile, if you wish to enjoy 'Sky Sports Box Office' on your Roku player(s) in the UK, there is a way to add it (using ACCESS CODE: skysportsboxoffice) via the "Add channel with a code" feature of your online Roku account. So, if you'd like to stream the Pay-Per-View (PPV) heavyweight boxing rematch between Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua on Saturday 7th December 2019, then you can! ;-) :-D
Another UK-based streaming service I've been keeping an eye on of late is 'BritBox' and while they sadly do not (yet) have an app for the Roku platform in the UK, despite having an existing Roku app available in the channel store for customers in the U.S. and Canada, there are signs on social media that one is in the pipeline and could well be released in the not too distant future... as the following screenshot images from the 'BritBox Help UK' Twitter Feed: @BritBoxHelpUK can attest:-
AS BEFORE: Please CLICK on the above images TO ENLARGE THEM for easier viewing !!
Both tweets pictured above were published within the 10-day period prior to this 'Weekly RoundUp' post and there have been (at least) one half dozen more tweets on the subject in the last week alone. With that in mind, I thought it might not be entirely out-of-place if I were to share details for some of the programming that is set to arrive on the 'BritBox UK' service throughout January 2020:-
2nd January 2020
Death in Paradise Seasons 1-7 (2011-2018)
DI Jack Mooney, played by Ben Miller, Kris Marshall and finally Ardal O’Hanlon, and his team hunt for clues in complex murder cases on the beautiful, sun-drenched Caribbean island of Saint Marie.
9th January 2020
The Last Post (2017)
Drama series set in the mid-sixties, in which a unit of Royal Military Police officers and their families deal with the challenges of politics, love and war in British-controlled Aden. Starring Jessie Buckley, Jeremy Neumark Jones, Tom Glynn-Carney and Jessica Raine
NW (2016)
TV adaptation of Zadie Smith’s novel exploring the uneasy questions of race, gender and class. Two childhood friends from the same north London council estate grow up to lead vastly different lives. Starring Phoebe Fox, Richie Campbell and Nikki Amuka-Bird.
Harry’s Arctic Heroes (2011)
A documentary covering a special expedition undertaken by Prince Harry and a team of wounded servicemen as they attempted a gruelling 200-mile charity trek to the North Pole.
16th January 2020
Paula (2017)
A three-part thriller about Paula, a chemistry teacher whose life is turned upside down after a onenight stand with James. They become locked in a dance of destruction. Only one can survive. Starring Denise Gough, Tom Hughes and Siobhán Cullen.
Cradle to the Grave (2015)
Award-winning writer Jeff Pope tells the story of the Baker family in this lively 70s-set sitcom. Based on broadcaster Danny Baker’s childhood, it follows his working-class family through the ups and downs of life in South London. Starring Peter Kay, Laurie Kynaston and Lucy Speed.
23rd January 2020
The Moorside (2017)
A two-part drama series based on the kidnapping and subsequent search for Yorkshire schoolgirl Shannon Matthews. Starring Sheridan Smith, Sian Brooke and Faye McKeever.
Press (2018)
Drama series about the lives of the editors and journalists working at a left-leaning broadsheet and a populist tabloid. Starring Charlotte Riley, David Suchet and Ben Chaplin.
30th January 2020
The C Word (2015)
An adaptation of Lisa Lynch’s candid book about her experience of cancer, based on her popular blog which was launched shortly after her diagnosis. The film is a defiant, ballsy and surprisingly funny story of life, love and cancer. Starring Sheridan Smith and Paul Nicholls.
These regular weekly additions to the on-demand library of the 'BritBox UK' streaming service will further extend their original programming line-up (available from launch) and follow-on from their (previously announced) collection of 'Doctor Who' box-sets, due to arrive on Boxing Day this year. With British TV box-sets from 'All 4' and British films from 'Film 4' also set to launch on the service in 2020, together with even more of the very best in past, present & future British programming plus additional award-winning content, it might soon be worth investigating a free trial of the service! ;-)
All of which brings me nicely on to my next "special offer" find... and, although restricted to those with compatible Samsung TV models (2018 and newer), the option of an extended 90-day free trial (versus the usual 30-day free trial period) may prove tempting enough for any Roku streamers who happen to own one of the eligible televisions from 'Samsung' and will be able to enjoy 'BritBox UK' via the app for Samsung Smart TV's even before it becomes available on the Roku platform in UK!
HINT: Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!
As can be seen from the small-print in the above promo banner, the extended free trial has been made possible by a partnership between 'BritBox UK' and 'Samsung' whereby subscribers will get an extra 60 days for free (courtesy of Samsung) on top of the usual 30-day free trial offered by 'BritBox UK' and, at the end of the (extended) trial period, the subscription continues at a cost of £5.99 per month unless it is cancelled beforehand. To claim the offer, subscribe at www.britbox.co.uk/samsung by clicking on the "Claim your offer" button on that webpage then enter the promo code displayed on your Samsung TV when instructed. Meanwhile, for anyone interested, the "Terms of Use" associated with this 'Black Friday' Samsung TV offer from 'BritBox UK' are as follows:-
Promo code entitles you to a 90 day free trial of BritBox. At the end of your free trial period your subscription will automatically continue, unless you cancel before this date, and BritBox will charge your payment method with the applicable fee on a monthly basis until you cancel. Available to new BritBox subscribers who pair their BritBox account with a compatible Samsung Smart TV. One use per person. UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man only. Not valid with any other offer. BritBox reserves the right to change or cancel this offer at any time. Expires 23:59 on 10 December 2019. BritBox Terms and Privacy Notice (www.britbox.co.uk/terms and www.britbox.co.uk/privacy) also apply.
Given this 'Black Friday' offer from 'Samsung TV' and 'BritBox UK' is only valid for one more week (or thereabouts) you will need to act fast if you wish to claim it. Granted it's a bit of a gamble but, if you're lucky, there might even be a substantial portion of the extended 90-day free trial remaining by the time the Roku channel (app) for 'BritBox UK' is added to the channel store in the UK. So, if you do happen to own a compatible Samsung Smart TV, this might be a good opportunity to get a longer free trial without having to wait for the Roku app to be released and thereby steal a march on the rest of us! ;-)
One of the partners in 'BritBox UK' is the 'BBC' and, through no small coincidence, it is they who are the focus of the next Roku-related news item that I have to share with you. This will mainly appeal to those who follow football and, in particular, to fans of Liverpool FC since (as Champions of Europe) they will be representing the European continent in the '2019 FIFA Club World Cup' for which 'BBC' have just won the UK broadcast rights. The competition kicks off on 11th December and, as in other years, the tournament will feature the champions of six continents. Joining Liverpool are Brazilian side Flamengo, who beat Argentina's River Plate to win the Copa Libertadores and secure their spot. Also, in this year's contest, are Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, Tunisia's Esperance de Tunis and Monterrey from Mexico, as well as Oceanian champions Hienghene Sport - from the tiny Pacific island of New Caledonia - while host team Al-Sadd complete the seven-team line-up.
The BBC will broadcast every 2019 FIFA Club World Cup match live from Qatar this December. Liverpool's games will be shown live on BBC TV and every other match will be available to watch online and on the BBC iPlayer. Philip Bernie, Head of BBC TV Sport, said:
"We're very excited to broadcast the Club World Cup and show audiences the best teams in world football across our free-to-air channels. Along with the World Cup, European Championships and FA Cup, this is a fantastic addition to the BBC's portfolio"
Liverpool's first match will be at the semi-final stage on 18th December, followed by either the final or third-place play-off on 21st December 2019. The current Premier League leaders also took part in the competition in 2005, following their Champions League triumph in Istanbul, but lost 1-0 to Sao Paulo in the final. Real Madrid are the current holders having defeated Al-Ain 4-1 in Abu Dhabi last year. Anyone from the UK who is interested in streaming the 2019 tournament on their Roku device(s) can find a full fixture list in this complete 'BBC' schedule for the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup online! ;-)