Sports Streaming

How to Watch RDS and TVA Sports Without Bell or Videotron

6 min read
  • RDS
  • TVA Sports
  • Sports

RDS and TVA Sports are the go-to French-language sports channels for hockey fans in Quebec and across French Canada. Together they carry the Canadiens in French, the CFL, Formula 1, UFC and much more. For decades, the only way to access these channels was through a Bell or Videotron cable bundle — forcing Quebecers to pay $80 to $150 per month just to watch sports they care about. That is no longer the case. In 2026, there are real, affordable alternatives that give you both channels without a cable subscription.

What RDS and TVA Sports Broadcast

Before exploring your options, it helps to understand exactly what you get with each channel and why both matter for a complete French-language sports experience.

RDS

  • NHL — Montreal Canadiens: RDS carries the Canadiens’ regional games in French, about 45 of the 84-game season, with the analysis and pre-game shows Habs fans expect. TVA Sports has the national French-language games and Prime Video has some Wednesday games, so RDS alone is not every game.
  • CFL: RDS is the exclusive French-language home of the CFL and the Alouettes, with its rights renewed through 2032. It shows all 18 Alouettes regular-season games, about 25 other games, every playoff game and the Grey Cup.
  • Formula 1: RDS is the exclusive French-language broadcaster of F1 and shows all 24 Grands Prix of 2026, including the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
  • RDS2 and RDS Info: The sister channels expand coverage with additional live sports, highlights, and a 24-hour sports news format.

TVA Sports

  • NHL: from 2026-27 TVA Sports holds the national French-language NHL rights for 12 years: up to 350 regular-season games a season, 32 of them Canadiens games, and every Canadiens playoff game.
  • UFC, tennis and NASCAR Canada: TVA Sports shows UFC events, WTA tennis, the Davis Cup, the Billie Jean King Cup, the National Bank Open and the Laver Cup, and the NASCAR Canada Series.

The bottom line: if you are a French-language sports fan in Canada, you need both RDS and TVA Sports for complete coverage. The problem has always been that they are owned by competing companies — Bell owns RDS, and Québecor owns TVA Sports — which means cable bundles that include both have always cost a premium.

Why Bell and Videotron Bundle Them Into Expensive Packages

Bell Media owns the RDS family of channels (RDS, RDS2, RDS Info) as part of the same corporate group that owns TSN. This means Bell has every financial incentive to sell RDS exclusively through its cable and satellite products. To get RDS through Bell TV, you typically need a base cable package that starts at $50 to $60 per month before any sports add-on is applied.

Videotron is the dominant cable provider in Quebec and distributes both RDS (licensed from Bell) and TVA Sports (owned by parent company Québecor) through its cable bundles. A Videotron bundle that includes both channels generally runs $80 to $100 per month for the base sports tier, with unlimited internet and phone often required to access the discounted rate.

The result is that most Quebec households pay for channels they never watch just to access the two or three sports channels that matter to them. Cord-cutting solves this problem entirely.

Option 1 — RDS Direct (Standalone App)

Bell Media offers RDS as a standalone streaming subscription through the RDS Direct app, available on most major platforms.

  • Price: From about $20 per month. Bell Media sets the current rate.
  • What’s included: Live streaming of RDS, RDS2, and RDS Info. Full access to the same live broadcast you would get on cable, plus some on-demand replays.
  • Device support: Works on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, and web browsers.
  • Limitation: RDS Direct does not include TVA Sports. TVA Sports is owned by Québecor, a direct competitor of Bell, so there is no bundled option between the two. If you subscribe to RDS Direct and want TVA Sports for the national NHL games in French or Canadiens playoff games, you must add a separate subscription.
  • Best for: Canadiens fans who primarily watch RDS content and are not concerned about missing TVA Sports programming.

Option 2 — TVA Sports Direct

Québecor, the parent company of Videotron and TVA, sells TVA Sports as a standalone streaming subscription called TVA Sports Direct.

  • Price: $17.99 per month for an individual plan or $19.99 for a family plan, plus taxes. Annual plans work out cheaper per month.
  • What’s included: Live TVA Sports broadcasts, including the national NHL games in French, Canadiens playoff games, UFC and tennis.
  • Device support: Works on iOS, Android, Apple TV, and web browsers. Smart TV support is more limited than RDS Direct.
  • Limitation: TVA Sports Direct does not include RDS. To get both TVA Sports and RDS through standalone streaming apps, you are looking at about $38 per month across two separate subscriptions — and two separate apps to manage.
  • Best for: Fans whose primary interest is TVA Sports programming such as the national NHL games in French and Canadiens playoff games without the full RDS schedule.

Option 3 — IPTV (Both Channels in One Plan, Lowest Cost)

For French-language sports fans who want RDS, TVA Sports, and everything else without paying separate subscription fees to two competing companies, IPTV is the most practical and affordable option available in Canada.

TiviLeaf is a Canadian IPTV service that includes the complete French-language sports package — and then some — in a single plan:

  • RDS, RDS2, RDS Info — the Canadiens’ regional games in French, the CFL, Formula 1 and all RDS programming
  • TVA Sports — national NHL games in French, Canadiens playoff games, UFC and tennis
  • TSN, TSN2–5 — English-language sports for bilingual households
  • Sportsnet, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet 360 — additional hockey and sports coverage
  • CTV, CBC, V Télé, Télé-Québec — French and English general entertainment
  • Hundreds of additional Canadian and international channels

All of this starts at $9 CAD/month — less than either RDS Direct or TVA Sports Direct alone, and a small fraction of what Bell or Videotron cable costs. There are no contracts, no equipment fees, and no long-term commitment required.

TiviLeaf also includes a 7-day replay feature, so if you miss a Canadiens game or a CFL game because of work or a scheduling conflict, you can go back and watch it within seven days at full quality.

View available plans at tivileaf.com/#pricing.

Best Devices to Watch RDS and TVA Sports via IPTV

TiviLeaf works on virtually every modern device. Here are the most popular options for watching French-language sports in Canada:

  • Amazon Firestick: The most widely used IPTV device in Canada. Affordable (~$50), easy to set up, and supports all major IPTV apps. Plugs into any TV with an HDMI port.
  • Samsung Smart TV: Samsung TVs running Tizen OS support IPTV apps natively. No external device required if your TV is a recent model.
  • LG Smart TV: LG’s webOS platform also supports IPTV app installation. Works well for living room setups without an external device.
  • Android TV Box: Devices like the Chromecast with Google TV or dedicated Android TV boxes offer full IPTV support with a familiar Android interface.
  • Apple TV: Apple TV 4K supports IPTV players from the App Store. Excellent picture quality and seamless integration with other Apple devices.
  • iPhone and Android phones: Watch RDS and TVA Sports from anywhere with a mobile data or Wi-Fi connection using IPTV apps on iOS or Android.

Full step-by-step setup instructions for every supported device are available at our installation guide.

Comparing Your Options

  • RDS Direct only: ~$20/month — RDS family only, no TVA Sports
  • TVA Sports Direct only: ~$18/month — TVA Sports only, no RDS
  • RDS Direct + TVA Sports Direct: ~$38/month — both channels, two apps, no other content
  • Bell / Videotron cable: $80–$150/month — both channels plus many you don’t need
  • TiviLeaf IPTV: From $9 CAD/month — both channels plus hundreds more, 7-day replay, no contract

FAQ

Can I watch RDS without Bell?

Yes. Bell Media offers RDS as a standalone streaming subscription through the RDS Direct app for about $20 per month. Alternatively, an IPTV service like TiviLeaf includes RDS alongside TVA Sports and hundreds of other channels in a single plan starting at $9 CAD/month — making it the more complete and cost-effective option for most viewers.

Does TiviLeaf include TVA Sports AND RDS?

Yes. TiviLeaf includes TVA Sports, RDS, RDS2, and RDS Info in all plans. You get the full French-language sports package — Canadiens games on RDS and TVA Sports, plus the CFL and Formula 1 on RDS — without needing separate subscriptions from Bell and Québecor.

Can I watch Canadiens games without cable?

Yes. Every Montreal Canadiens game broadcast on RDS and TVA Sports is available through TiviLeaf. Whether it’s a regular-season Tuesday night game on RDS or a playoff game on TVA Sports, both are covered in a single TiviLeaf subscription. No Bell or Videotron cable required.

What about the CFL and Formula 1 in French?

RDS is the exclusive French-language broadcaster of both the CFL, with its rights renewed through 2032, and Formula 1. RDS is included in all TiviLeaf plans, so the Alouettes, every CFL playoff game, the Grey Cup and all 24 Grands Prix of 2026 are available in French.