There are few things better in life than sitting down to a 13h00 bout featuring your favourite English football team going up against its bitterest rivals. We can picture it now: a cold beverage in hand (with more stashed nearby), a large-screen TV blaring, and some food on its way. Throw in one of your team’s defenders scoring a last-minute header to give you the edge over your mates in Fantasy Premier League and you’ve got yourself a perfect Saturday.
We can’t exactly help out with that last bit (other than to tell you not to triple-captain Jan Bednarek), but we can hook you up with everything you’ll need to complete that picture. It won’t be cheap, mind you. Sure, you can substitute a couple of our picks for something already at home (you don’t need that R28,000 TV for instance), but if you’re starting from scratch, you’ll be hard-pressed to have a bad time. Even if Eskom comes a-knockin’.
Samsung QN90D
There’s a whole lot that goes into choosing the ‘right’ TV, even if you technically could get away with chasing down just about anything with a functioning HDMI hole on its back for your sports viewing. But if you want to do the thing properly, Samsung’s QN90D (preferably 65in and up) will steer you right. Not only is it packing exceptional visuals, the QN90D flawlessly delivers solid motion to keep up with the fast pace of Premier League football (or any sport, really). Being a mini-LED TV has its perks, supplying more than enough brightness to permeate even the brightest lounges. Go ahead, throw those curtains open.
Buy it here | from R28,000
Samsung Q-Series Q990D Soundbar
Can anything top the feeling you get when sitting down to a match just to hear Martin Tyler’s sultry voice in your ears? Well, yes. Hearing Martin Tyler’s sultry voice coming out of a soundbar and into your ears. We know it might seem like a small difference, but for game day, a soundbar is one of the more important pieces of kit you can have. It elevates the stadium experience to an entirely new level, particularly if your soundbar is paired up with a subwoofer. Samsung’s Q990D is certainly on the pricier side but with 11.1.4ch surround sound, wireless Dolby Atmos for some spectacular 3D sound, and plenty of AI tricks, it all starts to make a bit more sense.
Buy it here | from R22,000
Kambrook Aspire Mini Personal Fridge
We haven’t thrown in a banana for scale, but we can confirm that you’re looking at one pretty small fridge. Remove that tray and it’s only good to hold a few cans and a couple of snacks if you know what you’re doing. But it’s that tiny stature (190 x 270 x 275mm) and low price that nabbed it a spot on our list. Why summon your little minions to fetch your bottles of yeast when you can just lean over and grab it yourself? It’s certainly quiet enough to sit alongside you in peace and keep your drinks at a maximum of 20°C on the hottest of days.
Buy it here | from R1,300
Xiaomi Smart Standing Fan 2 Pro
There’s still some way to go before Autumn is inducted in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning we’re not totally out of the woods just yet. Keep a fan handy though, and you’re golden until those glorious Winter months start rolling in. Xiaomi’s Smart Standing Fan 2 Pro makes a decent case for why it should be picked over anything else, even considering the R2,700 price. It’s kitted out with a 2,800mAh battery that’ll keep on blowin’ for nearly three hours at full power even after Eskom’s had its way with the national grid. Give in to your laziness and pair it up with a Google Home or Amazon Alexa assistant to control it from the comfort of your couch. It helps that a seven-year-old could set it up in under five minutes. You’ll be just fine.
Buy it here | from R2,700
Nike Premier League Flight football
There’s not a whole lot to say about a plain ‘ol football, but we’ll have a go anyway. Nike’s Premier League match ball designs are consistently at the top of the pile (though it’ll compete with the brilliance of the Ordem 5 ball) and it’s no different during the 2024/2025 season. What you do with the ball is up to you – but we’d advise practising your keepie-uppies during those too-long half-time breaks. Don’t let the price fool you. These haven’t quite graced Erling Haaland’s sweaty forehead, but it’s about as close as you’ll get without a ticket to Manchester.
Buy it here | from R2,500
DStv
We’re not thrilled about pointing you in the direction of MultiChoice’s DStv, but short of straight-up committing piracy, it’s about the only option left for desperate Saffas looking to get in on some Premier League action on the big TV. Fortunately, a dance with the Devil doesn’t have to be the big deal it once was. The relatively cheap R400/m Compact package squeezes in more than enough Premier League footballing action to keep you around for the long haul – let down only by its too-onerous internet requirements if you go the streaming route. For R100/m more, DStv will sort you out with a decoder and satellite.
Buy it here | from R400/m
Or… Showmax (Premier League)
DStv may be the only (legal) way to throw up the next Machester United vs Liverpool match on the big screen, but what happens when Eskom decides to strike? That’s right. You’re left with an admittedly nice fan blowing on you, but no football. Showmax can help you out there. For R70/m you can subscribe to the streamer’s Premier League tier, which features all the matches every season. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Showmax’s football streaming abilities are confined to mobiles only, and cannot be thrown up onto the big screen. Even so, Showmax proves it’s worth a last-ditch effort to keep up with the games even when load shedding shows up again.
Buy it here | from R70/m
EA Sports FC 25
It’s one thing for you and a mate to argue about the result of the match before it’s over, and another to settle the debate the “right” way – FIFA or as it’s called now: EA Sports FC 25. We’ll stick with FIFA, but thanks. Ignore the predatory Ultimate Team shenanigans and enjoy some simple IRL local multiplayer on the couch during the halftime break. You’ll need a console and at least two controllers to make that happen in the first place. You can’t go wrong with FIFA on either a PlayStation or Xbox, but stay right away from this game on the Nintendo Switch.
Buy it here | from R1,400
Mr. D / Uber Eats
The whole idea of someone rocking up to your front gate with mounds of McDonald’s would likely kill a small Victorian child. Now we’ve got multiple apps all doing exactly the same thing. The debate between South Africa’s two biggest food delivery apps will never end, so why not make use of both? It’s always worth scoping out both apps before placing an order to get an eye on the different prices and deals on offer. Save your cravings specifically for matchday and you’ll have absolutely no trouble finding a code to celebrate the occasion.
Download Mr. D (Android/iOS) | Free (IAPs)
Download Uber Eats (Android/iOS) | Free (IAPs)
The Premier League app
Whether or not you partake in the tactical mindscrew that is Fantasy Premier League (FPL), the Premier League app is a must-have. Its biggest asset is easily real-time match notifications and fixture information, useful to anyone looking to just watch the games. For many, however, it’s the only place to create and manage their Fantasy Football teams, where they can compete against the rest of the world, South Africa, or just their friends. It’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination – particularly when Magnus Carlsen is involved – but it’s a whole lot of fun that adds a new level of intensity to the matches.
Download the Premier League app (Android/iOS) | Free
