Basketball or Volleyball? How to Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics Online for Free

The Summer Olympics are here, but you don’t have to be in Paris to catch the action.

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.

How Long Do the Paris Olympics 2024 Last?

The Paris Olympics were officially declared “open” during the Opening Ceremony on July 26. The Closing Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 11 at 3 p.m. ET.

How to Stream the 2024 Paris Olympics for Free

In 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 and several other platforms are streaming Paris 2024 for free.

• Australia: 9Now – FREE (Whole event)

• UK: BBC iPlayer – FREE (more than 250 hours of live coverage)

• Canada: CBC Gem – FREE (Whole event on multiple platforms, app only)

• The Netherlands: NOS – FREE (more than 200 hours of live coverage)

• France: France TV – FREE (200 hours of live coverage)

• Germany: ARD/ZDF – FREE (Shared live coverage)

• Italy: RAI – FREE (200 hours of live coverage)

• Belgium: RTBF (200 hours of live coverage) 

However, these platforms are geo-restricted to their respective countries, and accessing them from any other location would require a virtual private network such as ExpressVPN, which PCMag deemed the best for global location spoofers in our roundup of the best VPN services. 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.

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. We’re using 9Now in Australia for demonstration. 

• Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN.

• Download the VPN app on your device (PC or smartphone).

• Launch the app and pick a server in the country of your chosen platform (Australia, in this case). 

• After establishing a connection, visit your preferred website (9Now) and start streaming the Paris Olympics.

Note: If the website asks for access to your location, make sure to hit disallow. And if the website requires you to sign up, make sure to enter a local postal code. Also, use the translation services provided by your browser for easier navigation. 

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.

Team USA Olympic Schedule for Aug. 6: Must-Watch Events

Now that you know how to watch, here’s a list of Team USA events you shouldn’t miss today. 

Track and Field

• Women’s Hammer Throw Final, 1:57 p.m. ET

• Men’s Long Jump Final, 2:15 p.m. ET

• Men’s 1500m Final, 2:50 p.m. ET

• Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final, 3:14 p.m. ET

• Women’s 200m Final, 3:40 p.m. ET

Today will be another action-packed day of track and field events at the Stade De France. Team USA will participate in five of the six medal events scheduled for today. 

First up is the women’s hammer throw final, featuring Team USA’s Annette Echikunwoke and DeAnna Price. Both athletes reached the final by surpassing the automatic qualification mark of 73m and are strong contenders for a podium finish.

In the men’s 1500m final, the American trio of Yared Nuguse, Cole Hocker, and Hobbs Kessler will go up against defending Olympic champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and reigning world champion Josh Kerr of Great Britain. 

Later, Valerie Constien and Courtney Wayment will compete in the women’s steeplechase final. Constien, who clocked the fourth fastest time in the heats, will aim for a top-three finish. 

The day wraps up with the blockbuster women’s 200m final. USA’s Gabby Thomas is expected to win the contest, but she will face stiff competition from 100m champ Julien Alfred and fellow compatriots Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long. 

Basketball

After cruising through the group stages, the US men’s basketball team will face Brazil in the quarters today.  With the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, and others on the roster, Team USA is expected to win nothing but gold. Catch the stars in action today at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Soccer

The US women’s soccer team (UNWNT) plays Germany in the semi-final today. When the teams met in the group stage, the US had the better of Germany, beating them 4-1.  A win today would guarantee UNWNT a gold or silver, a major upgrade from their bronze finish at Tokyo 2020.

Volleyball

The USA will face Poland in the women’s volleyball quarters today. The Americans are the defending champions and should go past Poland relatively easily. 

Beach Volleyball

Team USA, comprising world champions Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng, will face Switzerland in the women’s beach volleyball quarterfinal. The match will take place in the breathtaking Eiffel Tower Stadium, a temporary venue built next to the iconic landmark. You can enjoy the game and the stunning backdrop at 4:00 p.m. ET today.

Note: Timings are subject to change depending on the turn of events at venues.

Team USA will participate in a few more notable events today. You can check out the full schedule for more details. 

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