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The 2024 Summer Olympics are finally here, and the world's best athletes have descended on Paris for the chance to bring home the gold for their country. We've combed through all of the global watch options and compiled everything you need to know about how to watch the Olympics, including free streaming options.
The summer Olympics pick back up only three years after they were last held, at the Covid-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This time, Paris hosts the games, and the weeks ahead are already shaping up to be memorable. A few sports began competition early, but now that the Opening Ceremony has taken place, most major sports kick off this weekend.
Some of the most-anticipated events include those from the gymnastics, swimming, athletics, tennis, and basketball categories, among others. Gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky, sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, tennis player Rafael Nadal, marathoner Eliud Kipchoge, and basketball player LeBron James are just a few of the can't-miss athletes slated to compete in Paris. This year will also bring back surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing, and 3x3 basketball, which each debuted in Tokyo, for their second appearance at the Olympic games. Additionally, 2024 will introduce the sport of breaking (breakdancing) to the competition.
No matter where you are in the world, we'll show you how to watch the Olympics. And keep an eye on our streaming section for more guides on specific sports and events.
As usual, the Olympics will air on NBC, USA, and Peacock in the US. Peacock will be your cheapest option, with plans starting at just $7.99 a month, and will serve as a bonafide hub for all events. You can upgrade to ad-free for $13.99 or try an annual plan, which offers savings across both tiers. If you miss an event, you can also watch it on-demand here.
If you'd rather watch NBC and USA through traditional methods and don't have cable, you can try out a live TV package like Sling TV or Fubo. When it comes to Sling, you'll need to subscribe to Sling Blue to get NBC and USA. Sling has fairly selective local channel coverage, so you should look up your zip code before subscribing to ensure you will be able to stream NBC in your region. Sling subscriptions start at $40 a month, but the service often offers introductory promos that will knock a few bucks off your first month if you're a new user.
Fubo is another solid live TV cable alternative that carries NBC and USA, in addition to more than 180 other channels. It's a particularly sports-friendly service. Subscriptions cost $79.99 a month, but new customers can get a one-week free trial right now.
Olympic coverage will look a little bit different in the UK this year. While lots of coverage will be available for free on BBC and BBC iPlayer, Eurosport has the rights to full Olympic coverage this year. If you're only looking to watch something specific, it'll be worth checking the BBC TV guide to see if it's available and, if not, signing up for Eurosport. BBC iPlayer is free to use and only requires account creation. Eurosport subscriptions through Discovery+ start at £3.99 a month.
Extensive Olympic coverage will be available through 9Now in Australia. Viewers just need to make a free account, and they'll be good to go. For Olympic fans who want to watch every single event of every sport, Stan Sport will offer complete coverage of all parts of the Olympics. Base Stan subscriptions start at $12 a month, and Olympic coverage requires the $ 15-a-month Sport Add-on for a total of $27 (although new users can try the base portion of Stan, not the add-on part, free for 30 days).
Select Olympic coverage will be available to live stream through CBC Gem in Canada. This is a free streaming option that only requires account creation to use. The service will offer coverage of major events, including the Opening Ceremony and any medal moments that Canadians might be a part of. Replays will also be available to stream on-demand for viewers who miss part of the competition.
The Paris Olympics will fittingly be available to watch on France.TV in France. People just need to create a free account and they'll be able to stream the entire games in one place.
If you'll be away from Australia, the UK, or France at any point during the Olympics and still want to keep up with the free streaming options, you can do so using a VPN. Short for virtual private networks, VPNs let you temporarily change your device's virtual location, allowing you to use your usual websites from anywhere. They're especially popular among people looking to boost their online privacy and keep up with their usual apps while traveling abroad.
Our go-to recommendation is ExpressVPN, an easy-to-use option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review for additional information, and keep reading to learn how to use it.
The Olympics Opening Ceremony was held on Friday, July 26, at 1:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. BST / 1:30 a.m. AWST (Saturday). The ceremony occurred over a four-hour-long period on the River Seine in Paris, France. Athletes floated down the river on boats, and LeBron James and Coco Gauff were flagbearers for the US team.
In addition to the iconic Parade of Nations, there were several performances, including musical acts from Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke, and beloved Olympic figures like Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal made appearances. If you missed the Opening Ceremony, most of the options we've outlined above allow you to stream it on-demand.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
