There's a sneaky way to watch Winter Olympics 2026 *FREE* in the USA

Gold medallist Chloe Kim of Team United States celebrates during the Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final flower ceremony on Day 6 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park on February 10, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China.

(Image credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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Watch from anywhere

If you're hyped for the Winter Olympics but have this creeping sense that somebody's getting a better view of the action, it's for good reason.

In some respects, American fans have it good. The U.S. is second behind only Norway in the all-time medal table, and Lindsey Vonn, Jordan Stolz, Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu and Mikaela Shiffrin are some of the biggest stars at Milano Cortina, but the U.S. is one of very few countries where the Winter Olympics aren't free-to-air — at all.

Is there any way of watching free in the USA?

The 2026 Winter Olympics are live on Peacock in the US – meaning you can watch all the action online, from skiing to figure skating, for just $10.99/month with Peacock’s Premium plan. That also includes replays and highlights of all the events.

But you can also get Peacock FREE through the Walmart+ 30-day free trial. Yep, if you’re smart, you can stream the 2026 Winter Olympics at no cost, including live events and highlights afterward.

🔥 Sign up for Walmart+ 30-day trial + FREE Peacock

The Walmart+ free trial lasts 30 days and includes access to Peacock. Perfect for catching every gold medal moment from the 2026 Winter Olympics!

🌎 Remember to use a VPN as well if you're outside America right now so you can access the free trial.

Other ways of watching Winter Olympics 2026 for free

Viewers based in Canada, the U.K. and Australia are also in luck, because free Winter Olympics coverage is being provided by CBC Gem, BBC iPlayer and 9Now respectively. All you need is an account.

We watched the Olympics back at Paris 2024 on each of the platforms and were thoroughly impressed with the coverage — the most extensive of which came courtesy of CBC Gem (they have over 2,000 hours of action).

Traveling in the U.S. right now? Don't worry, you can access the free Winter Olympics coverage from anywhere using a VPN.

How to watch Winter Olympics for free from anywhere

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the action on your usual subscription?

You can still watch Winter Olympics 2026 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software can make your devices appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Norton VPN is one of the best you can get — we explain why in our Norton VPN Review.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, Norton VPN is a great choice.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view a Canadian service, you'd select Canada from the server list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to CBC Gem or another streaming service and watch the Winter Olympics for free.

Which devices can I watch the Winter Olympics for free on?

CBC Gem:

Amazon Fire TV
Android phones and tablets
Android TV (NVIDIA Shield, and select Smart TVs)
Apple iPhones and iPads
Apple TV

BBC iPlayer:

Amazon Fire TV
Android phones and tablets (Android 7.0 and above)
Android TV
Apple iPhones and iPads (iOS 14 and above)
Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
Google TV (Chromecast with Google TV and NVIDIA Shield)
Freely
Freesat (please note: some models aren’t supported)
Freeview Play (TVs and set-top boxes) (some models aren’t supported)
LG Smart TVs (2016-2024)
NOW Smart Sticks and Boxes (minimum firmware v11.5.0)
PlayStation (PS4 and PS5)
Roku (Stick & Roku-OS powered TVs, minimum firmware v11.5.0)
Samsung phones and Smart TVs (2017 and above)
Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream puck
Virgin Media (360, Stream, TiVo)
YouView (BT, Humax, Sony, TalkTalk)
Xbox (One, Series X, Series S)

9Now:

Amazon Fire TV
Android phones and tablets (Android OS 5 and newer)
Android TV
Apple iPhones and iPads (iOS 12 or later)
Apple TV (including Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD)
Chromecast (including Chromecast with Google TV)
Fetch TV (Gen 3 or newer)
Foxtel iQ
Freeview
Hisense TV
LG Smart TV (webOS 4 or higher)
Roku (including Roku 2, Roku 3, Roku Express, Roku Express+, Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+, Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Streaming Stick+ and Roku Streambar)

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Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Aatif is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about technology, sport and politics for a wide range of publications including TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, The Independent, Trusted Reviews, and Newsweek. These days, he focuses mainly on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: live TV and penny-pinching. When he's not attending a top-flight English soccer match, you can find him perfecting his table tennis skills.

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