Basketball or Track? How to Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics Online for Free (2024)

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 Peaco*ck 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 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 Peaco*ck, 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.

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. 10-11: 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

• Men's High Jump Final, 1:00 p.m. ET

• Men's 800m Final, 1:15 p.m. ET

• Women's Javelin Throw Final, 1:30 p.m. ET

• Women's 100m Hurdles Final, 1:35 p.m. ET

• Men's 5000m Final, 1:50 p.m. ET

• Women's 1500m Final, 2:15 p.m. ET

• Men's 4x400m Relay Final, 3:00 p.m. ET

• Women's 4x400m Relay Final, 3:14 p.m. ET

• Women's Marathon, 2:00 a.m. ET (Aug.11)

Apart from the women's marathon, all the track and field events will conclude on Aug. 10 at the Stade de France. Eight finals are lined up for the day, and Team USA will participate in seven.

The day begins with the men's high jump and 800m finals for Shelby McEwen and Bryce Hoppel, respectively. These two events will be followed by two middle-distance races.

The men's 5000m final features Americans Grant Fisher, winner of the bronze medal in the 10,000m, and Graham Blanks. The women's 1500m final features Elle Purrier St. Pierre and Nikki Hiltz.

The fastest event of the day will be the women's 100m hurdles, which features three Team USA athletes: Grace Stark, Masai Russell, and Alaysha Johnson. The trio clocked three of the top four timings in the semifinals, and an all-American podium is not out of sight.

The men's and women's 4x400m relay will wrap things up on Saturday, and the women's marathon is scheduled for Sunday.

Basketball

• Men's Final: France vs. USA, 3:00 p.m. ET

• Women's Final: France/Belgium vs. USA, 3:00 p.m. ET (Aug. 11)

Steph Curry produced a brilliant 36-point game against Serbia in the semifinal to put Team USA through to the final. With LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Joel Embiid peaking at the right time, the men's basketball team will look to overcome home favorites France in the gold medal match.

In the last event of Paris 2024, the US women's basketball team will play in the gold medal match on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. With A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu, Brittney Griner, and others in the line-up, Team USA is expected to defend their title.

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.