Free Olympics Viewing Options
You can catch the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina without paying upfront by tapping into broadcaster free streams, trials, and over-the-air access—perfect as events kick off today, February 6. Regions like the UK and others offer robust no-cost coverage, while U.S. viewers have smart workarounds amid NBC's dominance. Here's the breakdown based on reliable recent guides.

UK and Free Broadcasters

BBC iPlayer delivers extensive free coverage of major 2026 Winter Olympics events for UK viewers, including live streams and replays—no subscription needed, just a TV license.

Australia's 9Now, Canada's CBC Gem, and Ireland's RTE Player also stream select events completely free, often in English.

Pro Tip : Abroad? A VPN connects you to these from anywhere, as noted in multiple guides (e.g., Norton VPN or Proton VPN with money-back options).

U.S. Free Trials and Hacks

NBCOlympics.com offers free highlights, replays, and ceremonies from all 16 sports, though live coverage is limited.

Stream fully via trials:

  • YouTube TV : 21-day free trial includes NBC, USA, CNBC—covers the Games (Feb 6-22).
  • DIRECTV : 5-day trial with all Olympics channels and unlimited DVR.
  • Hulu + Live TV : 3-day trial for 95+ channels including NBC.

Over-the-air antenna picks up NBC locals for free if you're in range—no streaming required.

International Free Streams

Country| Platform| Coverage Notes 5
---|---|---
France| France TV| Full events, French audio
Germany| ZDF| Live + replays
Japan| NHK| Select sports
Mexico| Claro Sports| Key competitions
New Zealand| Sky Go| English streams

VPNs unlock these (e.g., ExpressVPN's short-term plans).

Caveat : Trials expire mid-Games, so chain them or go international—forum chatter on Reddit echoes this hustle for zero cost.

Quick Steps for Free Access

  1. Check local antenna for NBC (U.S.) or BBC (UK).
  2. Sign up for a trial like YouTube TV's 21 days.
  3. Use NBCOlympics.com for non-live needs.
  4. VPN to global freebies if restricted.

TL;DR : BBC iPlayer (UK), trials (U.S.), and global streams via VPN are your best free bets—start with NBCOlympics.com today.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.