What channel is Rochdale v Bristol Rovers on?
Rochdale v Bristol Rovers kicks off on Saturday 19 December at 3pm UK time, at Crown Oil Arena, in League Two, matchday 20. The UK broadcasters have not confirmed a channel for this match yet; this page updates as soon as they do.
Rochdale are 14th with 15 points from 12 matches (4 won, 3 drawn, 5 lost), winless in 3; Bristol Rovers are 16th with 15 points from 12 (5 won, 0 drawn, 7 lost), 4 defeats in a row. Goals: Rochdale have scored 15 and conceded 17 (-2), Bristol Rovers have scored 16 and conceded 20 (-4). Rochdale have taken 10 points from 6 home matches, Bristol Rovers 3 points from 6 away matches. Leading scorers: Dajaune Brown (4) for Rochdale. Arena Rete's model makes Rochdale favourites (52%), with 1-1 the most likely score. In the 15 previous meetings on record: 5 wins for Rochdale, 4 draws, 6 wins for Bristol Rovers.
How to watch Rochdale v Bristol Rovers in the UK
The League Two TV guide →No channel has been announced for Rochdale v Bristol Rovers yet. The UK rights to League Two are held by:
- Sky SportsThe selected League Two matches on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event; Sky shows more than 1,000 EFL matches a season under a deal that runs to 2028/29.
- ITVfreeTen EFL matches a season live and free to air on ITV1 and ITVX, shown alongside Sky.
The streaming services that carry League Two:
- Sky Sports+The matches not on the main Sky Sports channels; included with Sky Sports at no extra cost: the Sky Sports+ channel and the Sky Sports app on Sky Q, Sky Glass, Sky Stream and mobile.
- Sky GoEvery match shown on the Sky Sports channels; included for Sky Sports customers, on phones, tablets, laptops and consoles.
- NOWEvery match shown on the Sky Sports channels; with a NOW Sports membership, no long contract.
- ITVXfreeThe ten free-to-air matches and the highlights; free, with registration.
Matches kicking off between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on a Saturday are not shown live anywhere in the UK: it is the long-standing "closed period" that protects attendances across the football pyramid. Ten EFL matches a season are live and free on ITV1 and ITVX. Everything else needs Sky Sports or NOW. ITV shows free highlights with every goal from the three EFL divisions, on ITVX. Rights checked on 1 October 2026.
How they come into it
Full head to head →
- Tue 20 OctRochdale 2-2 Grimsby
- Sat 17 OctCrewe 3-2 Rochdale
- Sat 10 OctTranmere 1-1 Rochdale
- Sat 3 OctRochdale 1-0 Swindon
- Sat 26 SeptFleetwood Town 1-2 Rochdale
- Tue 20 OctBristol Rovers 1-2 Salford City
- Sat 17 OctShrewsbury 1-0 Bristol Rovers
- Sat 10 OctBristol Rovers 1-3 Barnet
- Sat 3 OctCrewe 3-1 Bristol Rovers
- Sat 26 SeptBristol Rovers 1-0 Exeter
What is at stake
If it ended today →Rochdale are 14th: 2 pts off the play-offs and 5 pts clear of the relegation zone. Bristol Rovers are 16th: 2 pts off the play-offs and 5 pts clear of the relegation zone. The two sides are level on points.
In League Two: The top three go up automatically. Play-offs from fourth to seventh. The bottom two are relegated. Positions and points are from the official table.
Line-ups appear here as soon as our data provider publishes them, usually an hour before kick-off.
The data forecast
Full head to head →Poisson model on 12 league matches for Rochdale and 12 for Bristol Rovers; early in the season teams start from the league average. This is an estimate, not betting advice.
Head-to-head record
Rochdale v Bristol Rovers down the years15 meetings in our data provider's archive · goals: Rochdale 20, Bristol Rovers 21 · 2.7 per match
- 5 Nov 2022Bristol Rovers1-0RochdaleFA Cup
- 30 Apr 2022Rochdale3-4Bristol RoversLeague Two
- 11 Dec 2021Bristol Rovers4-2RochdaleLeague Two
- 30 Jan 2021Bristol Rovers1-2RochdaleLeague One
- 31 Oct 2020Rochdale1-1Bristol RoversLeague One
- 2 Nov 2019Rochdale1-2Bristol RoversLeague One
- 22 Apr 2019Bristol Rovers0-1RochdaleLeague One
- 2 Oct 2018Rochdale0-0Bristol RoversLeague One
- 13 Feb 2018Bristol Rovers3-2RochdaleLeague One
- 21 Oct 2017Rochdale1-0Bristol RoversLeague One
and 5 older ones.
The last meeting was on 5 Nov 2022: Bristol Rovers 1-0 Rochdale. With Rochdale at home: 2 home wins, 3 draws and 2 away wins in 7 matches, goals 8-7. Rochdale last won this fixture on 30 Jan 2021 (Bristol Rovers 1-2 Rochdale). Bristol Rovers last won it on 5 Nov 2022 (Bristol Rovers 1-0 Rochdale).
The numbers compared
All League Two team stats →Rochdale on the left, Bristol Rovers on the right: league matches only, 12 and 12 played.
The questions people ask
- What time does Rochdale v Bristol Rovers kick off?
- Saturday 19 December at 3pm UK time, at Crown Oil Arena.
- What channel is Rochdale v Bristol Rovers on in the UK?
- The channel has not been confirmed yet. TV selections are usually announced about six weeks before the match.
- Is Rochdale v Bristol Rovers on free-to-air TV?
- No. Ten EFL matches a season are live and free on ITV1 and ITVX. Everything else needs Sky Sports or NOW.
- Where can I watch Rochdale v Bristol Rovers highlights?
- ITV shows free highlights with every goal from the three EFL divisions, on ITVX.
- Where is Rochdale v Bristol Rovers being played?
- At Crown Oil Arena, capacity 10,249. Rochdale are the home side.
- Where are Rochdale and Bristol Rovers in the table?
- Rochdale are 14th with 15 points from 12 matches; Bristol Rovers are 16th with 15 points from 12. Rochdale are 14th: 2 pts off the play-offs and 5 pts clear of the relegation zone. Bristol Rovers are 16th: 2 pts off the play-offs and 5 pts clear of the relegation zone.
- What form are Rochdale and Bristol Rovers in?
- Last league results, most recent first. Rochdale: D L D W W (winless in 3). Bristol Rovers: L L L L W (4 defeats in a row).
- Who are the top scorers for Rochdale and Bristol Rovers?
- Rochdale: Dajaune Brown (4). League Two goals only.
- Who is the favourite in Rochdale v Bristol Rovers?
- Arena Rete's model makes Rochdale favourites (52%), from the two sides' league results. Most likely score: 1-1. It is an estimate, not betting advice.
- What is the head-to-head record between Rochdale and Bristol Rovers?
- 15 meetings on record: 5 wins for Rochdale, 4 draws, 6 wins for Bristol Rovers; goals 20-21.
- When did Rochdale and Bristol Rovers last meet?
- On 5 Nov 2022 (FA Cup): Bristol Rovers 1-0 Rochdale.
- Where can I follow Rochdale v Bristol Rovers live?
- On Arena Rete's match page: the score, the goalscorers and the line-ups update on their own.
The rest of the round on TV
The League Two TV guide →This page is for viewers in the United Kingdom, and its times are UK time. Rights and channels change: check the broadcaster's own listing on the day. League tables rebuilt from results do not include points deductions; expected goals and team stats come from our data provider, where it supplies them. We earn nothing from these links.