The Summer Olympics are here. While the Opening Ceremony is slated for July 26, some events, such as archery, soccer, handball, and rugby sevens, are already in progress. You don’t have to be in Paris to catch the action. But media companies around the globe pay big bucks for the rights to air the Games. In the US, that’s NBC, so streamers will need Peacock or a live TV streaming service with access to NBC. For those who don’t need another streaming subscription, though, a VPN can help you tap into some free options from the around the globe.Here’s all the information you need to watch the Paris Olympics online for free.When Do the Paris Olympics 2024 Start?The Paris Olympics run from July 26 to Aug. 11. The Games will officially be declared “open” during the Opening Ceremony, which starts at 10:30 a.m. PT/1:30 p.m. ET on July 26. It will be held on the River Seine and is rumored to feature performances from stars like Celine Dion and Lady Gaga. It will be the first-ever non-stadium ceremony in the history of the modern Olympics, and over 10,500 athletes and performers will participate, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Closing Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 11 at 3 p.m. ET.How to Stream the 2024 Paris Olympics for FreeIn the US, you can watch all the Olympic action live on channels like NBC, USA, and MSNBC. If you have cut the cord with cable TV, you can catch the Games on NBC’s streaming service Peacock, whose subscription starts at $7.99 a month.But if you wish to stream the Olympics without spending a dime, there’s an option for that, too. The BBC iPlayer is streaming Paris 2024 for free. However, it is geo-restricted to the UK, and accessing it from any other location requires a VPN. For the uninitiated, VPN services can help you unlock geo-restricted content by hiding your IP address and connecting you to a secure server in a location of your choice (the UK, in this case).
Recommended by Our Editors
ExpressVPN
A privacy-respecting VPN for road warriors.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to watch the Summer Olympics for free online:Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN, such as ExpressVPN, which PCMag deemed the best for global location spoofers in our roundup of the best VPN services.Download the VPN app on your device (PC or smartphone).Launch the app and pick a server in the UK.After establishing a connection, visit BBC iPlayer and start streaming the Paris Olympics.
Of course, not all VPNs for streaming are free. But many of these services offer free-trial periods and money-back guarantees, which you can use to watch the Olympics live.Check out the full schedule so you don’t miss your favorite event, and make sure to turn on motion smoothing (but just for the Games).
How To Turn On Motion Smoothing to Watch the Olympics
Get Our Best Stories!
Sign up for What’s New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
