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We’re over a week into the Olympics, and athletics events have finally begun. If you’ve been waiting until now to tune in, we’ve got you covered when it comes to everything you need to know about how to watch Olympic track and field, including free streaming options.
While the men’s and women’s 20km race walk finals kicked off the athletics competition on Thursday, the bulk of the action didn’t pick up until Friday, when various qualifying heats and early rounds occurred. Team USA’s Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson are among the most-anticipated athletes to hit the track. Richardson made her Olympic debut early on Friday during a women’s 100m heat, which she won. She’ll advance to the semi-finals and possibly finals on Saturday. Lyles will make his first Paris appearance early on Saturday during the men’s 100m heat and will potentially advance to later stages over the weekend.
From early heats to medal-worthy moments, we’ve outlined all of your Olympic watch options below. And don’t forget to bookmark our Olympic streaming guide for daily updates on must-see 2024 Paris coverage.
- See also: Where to watch Olympic gymnastics | How to watch Olympic swimming | Where to watch Olympic handball
How to watch Olympic track and field in the US
Every Olympic track and field event will live stream on Peacock in the US. Plans start as cheap as $7.99 a month. You can also find the entire catalog of track and field events on-demand here, so you can still get in on the action if you miss a live event. This is also the US home of the rest of the Olympics.
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.
Major track and field events will also air across several NBCUniversal channels, including NBC, USA, and E! For example, the preliminary events on early Friday morning will air on E! If you don’t have cable, all three of these channels are available through live TV packages like Sling TV and Fubo.
Sling’s Blue plan will be the cheaper option today, with subscriptions going for $40 a month. Sling Blue carries USA and E! in all regions and NBC in select areas, so you should double-check that you can stream the basic network in your zip code. Right now, new customers can get their first month for just $20, thanks to a half-off introductory month offer.
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 offers broad NBC, USA, and E! coverage, along with over 180 other channels. Subscriptions are a bit more expensive, at $79.99 a month, but first-time customers can currently get a one-week free trial of the service.
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 Olympic track and field in the UK
UK viewers can explore track and field events through a couple of different options, including free streams on BBC iPlayer. This free option only requires account creation to use and will cover select track and field events. Eurosport will provide total Olympics coverage in the UK, including all athletics events. Subscriptions through Discovery+ start at £3.99 a month.
How to watch Olympic track and field in Australia
In Australia, most track and field events (and Olympic coverage) will be available to live stream for free through 9Now. This is a free streaming option that viewers only need to create a login to use. To see absolutely every Olympic moment and any missing events, users will need to subscribe to Stan Sport in Australia. A subscription will run you about $27 a month after purchasing the $12 base plan and the necessary $15 Sport Add-on.
How to watch Olympic track and field from anywhere
Fans who will be away from the UK or Australia during any event can still access their free options by using a VPN. VPNs, short for virtual private networks, allow users to temporarily alter their electronic device’s location so that they can keep up with all of their usual websites from anywhere. These are especially popular among people hoping to boost their online security and use their go-to apps while traveling.
ExpressVPN is our go-to recommendation for anyone new to VPNs. It’s an easy-to-use option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can find full details in our official ExpressVPN review and learn how to use a VPN below.
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 Olympic track and field 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) or BBC iPlayer (UK) and create a login if necessary.
- Enjoy the Olympics.
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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