Looking to watch Olympics live streams over the next fortnight? This extensive guide has got you covered, with details of Paris 2024 broadcasters in the US, UK, Australia and Canada – including several options to watch for free. We also explain how you can use a VPN to tune into the action if you’re away from home when the sporting magic happens.
Olympics live streams: key information
• Dates: Friday, July 26 - Sunday, August 11, 2024
• FREE Streams: BBC iPlayer (UK), 9Now (Australia), CBC Gem (Canada)
• US: Peacock
• UK: Discovery Plus
• Watch from anywhere: try NordVPN 100% risk free
From the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26 until the action concludes on the evening of Sunday, August 11, we'll be treated to two weeks of the finest sporting action on the planet – often in sports that don't get much time in the mainstream spotlight. By the time the Games wrap up we'll all be experts in athletics, cycling, rowing, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling and many other events on the packed schedule. There really is nothing on the calendar quite like the Olympics.
Luckily there are plenty of ways to tune in around the world, and this guide will help you watch Olympics 2024 live streams wherever you are. Let the Games commence!
Watch Olympics 2024 live streams for free in Australia
It's a good time to be in Australia because Channel 9 and its 9Now streaming service host the most comprehensive free-to-air Paris 2024 coverage anywhere in the world. That means that almost every session from the Games is available live via Channel 9's various platforms.
It's not the only viewing option in Australia, either, because subscription service Stan is also covering Paris 2024 ad-free, live and in 4K resolution. You can add Stan Sport to your Stan subscription for $15 per month. (Stan is also home to numerous other sports, including Champions League football and rugby union.)
Traveling abroad during the Paris Games? Sports lovers away from home can still watch an Olympics live stream as they would back home. All you need is a quality VPN, such as NordVPN, to watch your usual free stream when overseas. Keep reading to find out how.
Use a VPN to watch from anywhere
If you’re traveling abroad during the Olympics, chances are you won't be able to watch your usual streaming service as you would at home. That's because the broadcaster's geo-blocking restrictions will prevent you from tuning in.
That doesn't mean you have to miss out. All you need to do to watch as if you were in your home country is get yourself a VPN (Virtual Private Network) – assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, of course. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are. As an added bonus, the info going back and forth is also entirely encrypted.
In a competitive field of VPNs, the experts at TechRadar put NordVPN at the top of the podium.
Watch Olympics 2024 live streams for free in Canada
Olympics fans in Canada get it nearly as good as those in Australia, with plenty of free Olympics coverage available on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service. There's even an option to ditch the ads if you pay $5.99 per month for CBC's Premium service. (The first seven days are free if you want to try before you buy.)
Subscription services Sportsnet and TSN are also showing Olympics coverage.
Watch Olympics 2024 live streams for free in the UK
As has become a long standing tradition, the BBC is broadcasting loads of free-to-air Olympics action throughout the duration of the Games. The BBC's terrestrial channels, the Red Button and the BBC iPlayer streaming service will all be part of the Beeb's offering, but remember that you will need a valid TV Licence to tune in.
But you won't be able to watch every moment of the games in the company of the BBC, as the broadcaster only has rights to air two live streams at any time. The most comprehensive service in the UK is therefore provided by subscription services Eurosport and Discovery Plus, where you can get a whopping 3,800 hours of live coverage across 55 streams.
A Discovery Plus Standard plan would usually set you back £6.99 a month but if you subscribe before August 11, the fee is reduced to £3.99 a month – and new subscribers will be able to take advantage of the discounted rate until the end of 2024.
Watch Olympics 2024 live streams in the US
NBCUniversal has a massive Olympics offering for US viewers, with coverage spread across broadcast and cable channels (including NBC, CNBC, the USA Network and the Golf Channel), and the Peacock streaming service.
A Peacock Premium subscription costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. If you want to lose the commercials, the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus will cost you $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year.
Don't have cable? No problem. Sling is a smart TV service that allows people in the US to watch cable channels on their TV, laptop or tablet without actually having to subscribe to an annual cable TV package. USA Network and E! are available on Sling with the Sling Blue package, which costs $40 per month ($20 for the first month).
Disclaimer
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.