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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. While the Olympics don’t officially begin until the Opening Ceremony on July 26, a few sports begin competition early and are available to watch now. We’ve outlined those options below.
Once the Olympics officially kick off, 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 3×3 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.
- See also: Where to watch Olympic football | Where to watch Olympic rugby | Where to watch Olympic handball
How to watch the Olympics in the US
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.
Peacock is a convenient streaming source for hit NBC TV shows, Universal movies, and select sports like Sunday Night Football. Prices start at $8 a month, with additional discounts on annual plans.
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 you can currently get your first month for just $15 if you’re a new subscriber.
For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you’re looking for. It’s more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members get their first month for $25 off.
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 users can get a one-week free trial right now.
Fubo is the streaming service for sports fans. Its huge library of channels includes regional and international sports leagues, setting it apart from the competition. You can also tack on additional programming to your plan, but it’ll cost you extra.
How to watch the Olympics in the UK
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.
How to watch the Olympics in Australia
Full Olympic coverage will be available through 9Now in Australia. Viewers just need to make a free account and they’ll be good to watch the entirety of the Olympics.
How to watch the Olympics in France
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.
How to watch the Olympics from anywhere
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.
With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.
How to watch the Olympics with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don’t already have one.
- Install it on the device you’re using to watch the event.
- Turn it on and set it to the location of the streaming service.
- Go to 9Now (Australia), France.TV (France), or BBC iPlayer (UK) and create a login if necessary.
- Enjoy the Olympics.
How to watch the Opening Ceremony
The Olympics Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday, July 26, at 1:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. BST / 1:30 a.m. AWST (Saturday). The ceremony will occur on the River Seine in Paris, France. TV guides have blocked out approximately 4.5 hours for the event, which should wrap up around 6 p.m. ET / 11 p.m. BST / 6 a.m. AWST (Saturday). All of the above streaming options — Peacock/NBC, BBC iPlayer/Eurosport, 9Now, and France.TV — will air streams of the ceremony.
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.
Lillian Brown
Associate Editor of Streaming
Lillian Brown is the Associate Editor of Streaming for Business Insider. She joined the company in early 2024 as a Fellow before joining us full-time a few months later. She focuses on ‘how to watch’ guides for streaming services and live events for the Reviews team. She also covers VPN usage.Her entertainment writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including Vulture, TV Guide, Time, Esquire, and The Daily Beast, among others. She specializes in writing about film and television. Previously, she worked in the Living/Arts department of The Boston Globe.When not teaching people how to stream the best live sports and TV shows, Lillian can be found long-distance running, watching the latest season of For All Mankind, or playing through The Last of Us Part II on her PS4 yet again.
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