Set to make a splash in Tokyo, surfing is one of five brand-new sports to make its Olympic debut at the 2020 Games. And with a packed lineup of world champions, World Surf League veterans, and fresh-faced athletes going for gold, you’ll want to tune in to watch surfing at Olympics 2020.
Naturally, top surfers to watch will be coming from Australia and the US, but Brazil has also produced some hot contenders for the gold. John John Florence and Carissa Moore will be representing America, with Florence boasting two world championships and a Pipeline Masters award, while Moore is a reigning world champion.
One Australian athlete to watch will be seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore, while Gabriel Medina—the surfer who made history in 2014 by becoming the first Brazilian world champion—will likely be putting on an impressive performance at the Games.
Sound too good to be missed? Read on for details of how to live stream Olympics events like the surfing, as well as all the other information you need to enjoy this summer’s sports spectacular.
Olympics 2020 surfing: key dates and times
- Quarterfinals and semifinals: Monday, July 26 from 6pm ET / 11pm BST / Tuesday, July 27 from 7am JST
- Bronze and gold medal matches and victory ceremonies: Tuesday, July 27 from 7pm ET / Wednesday, July 28 from 12am BST / 8am JST
Free Olympics surfing live stream
A great number of broadcasters worldwide are televising the Tokyo Olympics, and fortunately, some of them are free-to-air. The official Olympics website is also offering free live streaming of many of the sporting events, especially the major ones.
Among the cycling fans in luck are those in the UK, where the BBC and its iPlayer streaming service have all the action covered, and Australians as Channel 7 and 7plus are also providing free live coverage. Continue reading to learn how you can live stream the Tokyo Olympics from where you are.
How to watch your Olympics live stream when abroad
Sports fans wanting to watch an Olympics live stream in 2021 should be able to access their usual free or paid coverage from all over the world. While geo-blocking typically restricts coverage when overseas to local providers – and some places of work, study or even leisure may stop you from streaming because of bandwidth restrictions – there’s a really easy way to solve these issues.
The answer is as simple as downloading and installing the best VPN service, which will then allow you to tell your computer, phone, tablet or other device that it’s in a different country. This means you can tune in to your usual coverage from home, wherever you are, without having to resort to an illegal stream.
Use a VPN to watch Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games from anywhere
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Using a VPN is really simple – as easy as one-two-three, in fact!
1. Download and install a VPN – as we say, our top overall choice is ExpressVPN, which represents the best solution for most sports fans this Olympics
2. Connect to the appropriate server location – open the VPN app, hit ‘choose location’ and select the country where your home broadcaster is based
3. Go to the broadcaster’s live stream – so if you’re from the UK, just head to BBC iPlayer and log-in as usual
That’s all there is to it! You’ll now be able to watch all the Olympics action just like you would from the comfort of your own sofa.
FREE Olympics surfing live stream in the UK
The BBC is broadcasting the Olympics live for free in the UK, and residents can watch it with a TV license. BBC One and Two will telecast hundreds of hours of live footage from Tokyo, and viewers can also use the online BBC iPlayer service to catch the events.
Other options in the UK include Discovery+ and Eurosport. Eurosport costs £6.99 per month, but you can bring the cost down by subscribing annually (£4.99/month). You can stream Eurosport directly from your TV by Chromecasting or connecting your laptop with an HDMI cable, and Apple TV users can stream from Apple devices too.
Those looking for how to watch the Olympics in 4K Ultra HD will find their options limited to Eurosport’s UHD feed – available to those with a Sky Q subscription and box.
Out of town for the 2020 Olympic Games? Then install a VPN before you head out—this way, you can continue accessing UK streaming services from anywhere in the world.
How to watch Olympics surfing in the US without cable and on TV
In the US, NBC has the TV airing rights for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, so cable users with NBC will have access to all the events. They’ll also have the option to watch it online on NBC’s streaming platform at no extra cost.
If you don’t have cable, you’ll have to subscribe to OTT services that have the NBC channel to stream the games. Peacock TV, Sling TV and fuboTV are some of the available options.
Is Peacock, Sling TV or fuboTV best for the Olympics?
In terms of the best overall value, NBCSN comes as part of the $35 a month Sling Blue package, which also offers NBC proper in most major metro area markets. Check the Sling website for special offers – there’s usually something eye-catching on. For example, at the time of writing your first month for only $10.
fuboTV is the best cable alternative and priced accordingly, costing $64.99/month. But comes with a 1-week free trial and is a complete replacement service with all the NBC channels available in your area
We’d recommend both sports fans, depending on how much of the Olympics they want to watch.
At $4.99/month, Peacock TV is the cheapest option and provides a free trial of its own – though note that much of its programming schedule is given over to multi-sports coverage. This is great for general fans, but maybe a bit frustrating if you want end-to-end action of a specific discipline.
Which devices are supported?
All these streaming platforms are available on the Google Chrome Browser, Apple TV, Fire TV, Xbox One, iOS, Android, and many other devices. For more on which NBC channel is showing what and when, check out the network giant’s website.
How to watch Olympics surfing in Canada
CBC, TSN, Sportsnet, and TLN are all broadcasting Olympics 2020 in Canada. Cable subscribers can watch the games if they have any of these channels.
Cord-cutters will have to subscribe to CBC, TSN, or Sportsnet’s online streaming services to view the games. TSN and Sportsnet’s streaming services cost CAD 19.99/month, but CBC offers free streaming. TLN doesn’t have a streaming service currently.
Want to watch your coverage from abroad? Then don’t forget that using a VPN is a great way to watch coverage overseas.
How to live stream surfing at the Olympics for FREE in Australia
In Australia, Channel 7 has exclusive airing rights for the Tokyo Olympics. The live coverage will be broadcast for free on 7Two and 7Mate.
To view the games online for free, you can use Channel 7’s streaming service, 7plus – available on web browsers, iOS, Android, LG TV, Chromecast, and more.
Not in Australia? Use a VPN if you’re away from home, in order to tap into your local Olympics coverage.
More 2020 Olympics broadcasters around the world
If you’re not in one of these countries, don’t worry – the Olympics are being shown in most places around the world, though you might not luck out with free streaming and coverage levels vary considerably by location.
You can check what’s on offer where you are with the help of the dedicated Wikipedia page of all of the world’s Olympic Games channels.
