Tokyo Olympics: How to Watch, Stream Online Without Cable
Luckily, Peacock will be airing daily live shows, Olympic channels, full event replays and highlights for those watching at home in any time below for all the details on the 2021 Summer are the 2021 Tokyo Olympics? The 2021 Tokyo Olympics will take place from Friday, July 23 to Sunday, August 8, in Tokyo, to watch the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Closing CeremonyThe 2021 Tokyo Olympics will come to an end with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, August 8, 2021, at 8 p. m. local time in Tokyo, Olympics Closing Ceremony will air live on Peacock at 7 a. ET on Sunday while the primetime broadcast will air on NBC at 8 p. online viewers, NBC is available to stream live on fuboTV or Sling TV. fuboTV, which you can sign up for here, offers a seven-day free trial before the $64. 99 per month charge. With a fuboTV subscription, you can stream the Tokyo Olympics live online via the NBC channel, as well as get access to hundreds of channels, hours of cloud-based DVR, and more. Sign up for fuboTV in time to watch the 2021 Olympics TV, meanwhile, is offering a $10 a month deal for your first month, before its $35 per month charge. Sling TV offers live television streaming (including NBC) and on-demand content over the internet, which you can watch on your phone, laptop or any other smart device. Sign up for Sling TV before the 2021 Olympics to watch the 2021 Tokyo Olympics without cableOn TV, the Tokyo Olympics will air across NBC, USA, CNBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA and Golf, the 2021 Olympics will be able to stream on Peacock, and the NBC Sports app. Recently, Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, has teamed up with the online wine company, Winc, on a new deal that gets you three free months of streaming when you order wine at new Peacock offer — perfect for sipping while watching the 2021 Olympics — gets you three months of unlimited access to Peacock’s shows and movies when you purchase four bottles of wine for $29. 95 total. See more about the deal to stream the Olympic Games for freeIf you want to stream the Olympics online free, you get sign-up for a week-long free trial on fuboTV to watch the Olympics free on can also watch the Tokyo Olympics free online via Peacock, which offers a free tier with no subscription required. Keep in mind the free tier will only get you a limited amount of content. You can also watch the Olympics online free via Peacock Premium, which offers a 7-day free trial here (before going up to $4. 99/month).
Olympics live streams: How to watch 2021 Tokyo Games for free
(Getty Images)
The 2021 Olympics are set to be the most covered Summer Games in Olympic broadcast history, but cord-cutters need not worry.
NBC and its affiliates are set to cover the event in the United States. The gargantuan task of broadcasting live and tape-delayed content will fall primarily to six stations — NBC USA, NBCSN, CNBC, Olympic Channel and Golf Channel — and NBC’s streaming platform Peacock.
The good news for cord-cutters is that these networks are prominently featured on some of the most popular streaming options out there. As such, there will be plenty of ways to stream the Games after their year-long postponement. Below is a complete breakdown of live streaming options for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
MORE: Watch the 2021 Olympics live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)Olympics live streams 2021The Olympics is a huge broadcasting event and is far too big for a single station to carry it such, NBC and its affiliates will have coverage of the events and are planning to broadcast 7, 000 hours worth of action in the United States. NBC will showcase a lot of the big prime-time events — both live and on tape delay due to the 13-hour time difference in Tokyo — while other channels including USA, NBCSN, CNBC, Olympic Channel and Golf Channel will assist ditionally, NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, will provide coverage of select live events including track & field, gymnastics and basketball. The service, which is free with ads, will also provide more Olympics content including curated playlists, highlights and full event replays from the 2021 Tokyo Games. A Peacock Premium subscription (no ads) costs $4. 99/reaming option
Cable subscription needed?
Free?
Cost
Free trial?
Peacock
No
Yes
—
fuboTV
$64. 99/month
AT&T TV Now
$69. 99/month
Hulu Plus Live TV
YouTube TV
How to watch the 2021 Olympics for free without cableThere are plenty of options that cord cutters can use to stream the Olympics. Notably, they can watch select live events and rebroadcasts free on ditionally, streaming services like fuboTV, Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV all carry the NBC family of networks and provide free is on Peacock? Peacock’s Olympics coverage includes exclusive features, interviews, orginal content and studio shows that won’t be shown on other platforms that simply carry NBC streaming service’s daily offering includes four live studio shows starting at 6 a. m. ET showing live event coverage. Tokyo Gold, a postgame-style show, reviews the competition from the day before showing encore coverage. On Her Turf — “a program focused on female athletes” — runs 7-7:30 p. ET and leads into Tokyo Tonight, a highlight-centric show (think ESPN’s SportsCenter for the Olympics) is Peacock’s daily lineup:Tokyo Live: 6-11 a. ETTokyo Gold: 11 a. -noon ETTokyo Gold (encorse): Noon-7 p. ETOn Her Turf: 7-7:30 p. ETTokyo Tonight: 7:30 p. -midnightCan I watch the 2021 Olympics on YouTube TV? Yes. YouTube TV carries all six of the channels that will be showing Olympic events — NBC, USA, NBCSN, CBC, Olympic Channel and Golf Channel. YouTube TV comes with a 14-day free I watch the 2021 Olympics on Hulu? Yes. Hulu Plus Live TV’s package includes NBC and it’s affiliates, so users will have access to all six of the channels that will stream Olympic events — NBC, USA, NBCSN, CBC, Olympic Channel and Golf Channel. Hulu Plus Live TV comes with a seven-day free trial. Can I watch the 2021 Olympics on AT&T TV Now? Partly. AT&T TV Now features four of the six channels for Olympic sports — NBC, USA, NBCSN and CNBC — in its $69. 99 package. Olympic Channel and Golf Channel are available in the Ultimate package which costs $94. 99. Can I watch the 2021 Olympics on fuboTV? Yes. FuboTV includes all six of the channels that the Olympics will be on — NBC, USA, NBCSN, CNBC, Olympic Channel and Golf Channel. It comes with a free seven-day I watch the 2021 Olympics on Sling TV? Partly. Sling TV carries NBC, USA and NBCSN, but it doesn’t carry CNBC, Olympic Channel or Golf Channel.
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The Best Ways to Watch the 2021 Olympics Without Cable
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After a year-long delay, the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics are here! These are our top-pick video streaming services for watching the games from anywhere.
As parts of the world struggle to return to normalcy, the Olympics returns to our screens as the first major global sports gathering in over a year. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics last year, and even now, spectators can attend only specific events at the rescheduled Olympic Games. The events began on July 20—though the opening ceremony didn’t takes place until July 23—and run through August 8. Even if you have ditched your cable subscription, you can still watch the Olympic Games, from the lighting of the torch to the closing ceremony. Our guide covers all the information you need to choose the best streaming service for watching the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 games. How to Watch the Olympics Without CableNBC is the home of the Olympics in the US, so you should check out your local NBC station for prime-time coverage. Your live TV streaming service probably includes NBC, since it’s one of the major broadcasting channels in the US. Olympic sports will also air on CNBC, Golf Channel, NBCSN, Olympics Channel, and USA. Peacock, NBC’s movie and television streaming service, is another place to find Olympic coverage, including the “Tokyo Live” show featuring highlights from multiple sports. If you have a Roku device or Roku TV, you can stream all of NBC’s coverage of the Olympics from the NBC Sports channel or Peacock channel. If you don’t want to use a streaming service, you can also pick up NBC over the air with some effort and an antenna. is another place to watch the Olympics. The website shows highlights from all 33 sports along with the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and medal ceremonies. The Olympics Event ScheduleThe Opening Ceremony for Tokyo 2020 is scheduled for July 23 at 6:55 a. m. EST on NBC, but we’ve been watching Olympic coverage since the softball started on July 20 on NBCSN. Below are some highlights from popular events featuring Team USA from the summer Olympics television schedule for the next week, along with the channel you need to watch the events. You can keep up with the results and medal counts, plus view complete scheduling information on NBC’s Olympics website. Tuesday (8/3)Track & Field, Diving @ 12 a. EDT on NBCCanoe/Kayak @ 1 a. EDT on CNBCBasketball: Men’s Quarterfinal @ 4:15 a. EDT on USAWednesday (8/4)Skateboarding, Volleyball @ 12:05 a. EDT on NBCWrestling @ 12:30 a. EDT on Olympic ChannelWater Polo @ 1 a. EDT on CNBCBeach Volleyball @ 2:15 a. EDT on CNBCThursday (8/5)Men’s Volleyball @ 12:05 a. EDT on NBCField Hockey @ 1:30 a. EDT on CNBCDiving: Platform @ 2 a. EDT on USABeach Volleyball @ 2 a. EDT on NBCFriday (8/6)Canoe/Kayak, Basketball @ 12:05 a. EDT on NBCDiving: Platform @ 2 a. EDT on USACycling @ 2 a. EDT on CNBCCable and Over-the-Air OptionsYou can also watch much of the Olympic coverage with a cable plan that includes the NBCUniversal family of channels. A cable plan is typically more expensive than live streaming alternatives, but it’s great for people who want to get the largest possible variety of cable TV networks for one price. Want to watch other sports? Check out our roundup of the best sports streaming services. The other major sport airing right now is baseball. MLB fans should read our guide to the best MLB streaming ing Foreign Olympic Coverage With a VPNNBC has, in the past, come under criticism for overly talky, sometimes uninformed coverage of some Olympic events. Maybe you’re looking to avoid this sort of thing, or maybe you come from another country and just want to see the coverage in your home accent or language. You may also want to watch events or earlier heats that NBC just doesn’t cover. Whatever the reason, your most realistic option is probably to stream coverage from an overseas provider, using one of our top-rated VPNs (we’ve tested scores of them) to make the streamer in question think you are located in the country in which it is located. There are plenty of technical and ethical issues involved in doing so, however, which we cover in our article on spoofing your location with a VPN.
Our 6 Top Picks
$64. 99 per monthHulu + Live TV’s lineup includes all the channels you need to watch the Olympics, including CNBC, Golf Channel, NBC, NBCSN, Olympics Channel, and USA. Other sports channels in Hulu’s lineup are BTN, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, and FS1. The optional Español add-on ($4. 99 per month) gets you international sports coverage via ESPN Deportes. 50 hours of DVR storage comes with your subscription, but the Enhanced Cloud DVR add-on increases this limit to 200 hours. With the Unlimited Screens Add-on, you can stream on an unlimited number of devices on your home network and up to three mobile devices away from it. The pair of add-ons cost $14. 98 per month, or you can purchase them separately for $9. 99 per month. Hulu has 1080p/60fps live streams on select platforms. Ad-supported access to Hulu’s on-demand library of shows and movies is included in the subscription price. You can pay $70. 99 per month for live TV plus ad-free access to the on-demand can stream Hulu + Live TV on the web or download apps for mobile platforms (Android and iOS), media streaming devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku), smart TVs, and game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, and the Nintendo Switch).
Hulu Review
$64. 99 per monthYouTube TV has all of the channels you need to watch the Olympics: CNBC, Golf Channel, NBC, NBCSN, Olympics Channel, and USA. The service also includes channels like the MLB Network, NFL Network, and Tennis Channel. FOX Soccer Plus and NFL RedZone are available in the $15-per-month Sports Plus get unlimited cloud DVR storage (with recordings available for up to nine months), up to three simultaneous device streams, 1080p live streams on select platforms and channels, and support for six user profiles. You can also buy the 4K Plus Add-On for $19. 99 per month which unlocks 4K UHD playback for supported live and on-demand shows and events. The service is available on the web, mobile platforms (Android and iOS), media streaming devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, and Fire TV), smart TVs, and game consoles (PlayStation and Xbox). Google and Roku are locked in a dispute, so the availability of YouTube TV on that platform may be in trouble. Right now, Roku users can access YouTube’s live TV offering through the regular YouTube app.
YouTube TV Review
$64. 99 per monthA subscription to fuboTV gets you all the channels you need to stream Tokyo 2020. The service offers CNBC, Golf Channel, NBC, NBCSN, Olympics Channel, and USA. Other sports channels on FuboTV are CBS Sports Network, FS1, and NFL Network. A fuboTV subscription includes 250 hours of DVR content, which you can keep forever. It offers a Cloud DVR add-on to increase that amount to 1, 000 hours ($16. 99 per month). FuboTV also has add-ons to expand simultaneous stream limits from three devices (the default) up to ten devices on your home network. The service includes two excellent playback features: Lookback, which allows you to watch some sports events up to 72 hours after they aired, and Startover, which lets you start some live programs over from the of fuboTV’s live streams are limited to 720p/60fps, though the service does air some live programming in 4K, which is a rarity. FuboTV features on-demand content in 1080p, with some 4K titles available. This service is available via the web or with a dedicated app for mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and media streaming devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku devices), and XBox game consoles.
fuboTV Review
$5 per monthLocast includes local broadcast affiliates such as ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, but not traditional cable channels. Much of the prime-time Olympics programming will air on NBC, so this is an excellent option for people who just want to watch highlights or high-profile events like gymnastics and swimming. Locast also notably includes local PBS should know that Locast is currently facing legal challenges from the major broadcast networks over its right to broadcast live feeds for free. Locast supports four simultaneous streams per account but lacks DVR recording capabilities. The Locast app is available on mobile platforms (Android, iOS, and Fire OS) and media streaming devices (Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, and TiVo). Alternatively, you can stream Locast from a web browser.
Locast Review
$52 per month You can stream most of the Summer Olympics with Sling TV’s Blue plan, which includes NBC, NBCSN, and USA. You need to pay a little more for CNBC, Golf Channel, or Olympics Channel. CNBC is part of the $6-per-month News Extra add-on, while Golf Channel and Olympics Channel are part of the $11-per-month Sports Extra add-on. Sling TV’s included Cloud DVR feature offers 50 hours of storage, but you can pay for the Cloud DVR Plus add-on ($5 per month) to get 200 hours of cloud storage and the ability to save recordings from being auto-deleted if you reach storage capacity. Sling TV is available on media streaming devices (4th-Generation Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku), mobile platforms (iOS and Android), and Xbox consoles.
Sling TV Review
$94. 99 per monthAT&T TV’s Ultimate package includes all of the channels you need to watch the Olympics, including CNBC, Golf Channel, NBC, NBCSN, Olympics Channel, and USA. AT&T TV’s Lookback and Rewind features allow sports fans to watch previously aired content (up to 72 hours in the past) and restart live streams from the beginning of the broadcast for certain channels. The service keeps DVR recordings for up to 90 days, but it offers just 20 hours of DVR storage. AT&T TV is available on the web, streaming devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Roku), mobile platforms (Android and iOS), but not gaming consoles. The service supports three simultaneous streams per account.
DirecTV Stream Review
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Kim Key covers security and streaming services for PCMag. She has previously written for CNN, Fanbyte, Mashable, the New York Times, TechRadar. A former television producer for CNN, Kim holds a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Georgia. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and a cat named Sam.
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Frequently Asked Questions about how to watch olympics online without cable
Can you watch Olympics for free without cable?
There are plenty of options that cord cutters can use to stream the Olympics. Notably, they can watch select live events and rebroadcasts free on Peacock. Additionally, streaming services like fuboTV, Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV all carry the NBC family of networks and provide free trials.Aug 1, 2021
How can I watch the Olympics without a TV provider?
If you have a Roku device or Roku TV, you can stream all of NBC’s coverage of the Olympics from the NBC Sports channel or Peacock channel. If you don’t want to use a streaming service, you can also pick up NBC over the air with some effort and an antenna. NBCOlympics.com is another place to watch the Olympics.
How can I watch the Olympics online for free?
If you want to stream the Olympics online, you can sign up for NBCUniversal’s own streaming service, Peacock. Since the 2021 Olympic Games are airing on NBC, you can stream the event live on Peacock for free through the app, which includes viewing from a laptop, smartphone, or smart TV.Jul 30, 2021