can you watch the olympics free
Yes, you can watch the 2026 Winter Olympics for free through various official broadcasters, depending on your location, though geo-restrictions often apply. The games, held in Milano Cortina from February 6-22, are live now as of February 7, 2026, with options like BBC iPlayer and others making it accessible without cost.
Free Streaming Options by Country
Multiple countries offer free official streams for the full event, covering live action, replays, and highlights across 16 days of competition.
- UK : BBC iPlayer provides comprehensive coverage—no login barriers for UK viewers.
- Australia : 9Now streams everything live for free after a quick sign-up.
- Canada : CBC Gem delivers all events with English and French commentary.
- Ireland : RTÉ Player offers full access to every sport.
- Europe extras : Free options include RTVE Play (Spain), SVT Play (Sweden), NRK TV (Norway), NOS (Netherlands), and more—all official and in local languages.
Pro Tip : These are ad-supported but completely free within their regions. NBCOlympics.com also has U.S. highlights and ceremonies without cable, though live streams are limited.
Bypassing Geo-Blocks with VPNs
Traveling or abroad? Viewers worldwide rave about using a VPN to unlock these streams safely.
- Choose a VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN (both offer 30-day money-back guarantees).
- Connect to a server in the matching country (e.g., UK for BBC iPlayer).
- Sign up on the free platform and stream live—refund the VPN post-games if desired.
This trick works on Smart TVs, phones, or laptops, and forums confirm it's reliable for the 16-day event. One Reddit user shared: > "Damn, it works but I just figured out that you can just watch the replays... Any free vpn that provides servers?"
U.S. and Paid Alternatives
In the U.S., full live coverage requires Peacock or services like YouTube TV (21-day free trial covers NBC, USA, CNBC). No truly free U.S. live option exists without trials, but antennas pick up NBC broadcasts.
Region| Free Service| VPN Needed Abroad?| Coverage
---|---|---|---
UK| BBC iPlayer 1| Yes| Full live
Australia| 9Now 1| Yes| Full live
Canada| CBC Gem 1| Yes| Full live
U.S.| NBCOlympics.com highlights 5| No| Partial
Europe| Multiple (e.g., SVT Play) 1| Country-specific| Full live
Forum Buzz and Trending Tips
Olympics threads on Reddit are buzzing with real-user hacks as the games kick off. Common advice: Trials from Sling/YouTube TV (use new email), or European streams via VPN—perfect for Asia/Africa where options are slim. Trending now: Milano Cortina's snow events draw massive views, with fans sharing replay tricks for missed races.
TL;DR : Absolutely free via BBC iPlayer, 9Now, etc.—grab a VPN if restricted. Catch today's action risk-free!
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.