The Crimson Tide may be one of the most successful college teams in recent NCAA history, but they come up against a Hoosiers outfit in intimidating form at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena on New Year's Day.
You can watch the Rose Bowl 2026 from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE.
The Rose Bowl 2026 live stream takes place on Thursday, January 1.
► Time: 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. GMT / 8 a.m. AEDT (Fri.)
• FREE STREAM — Watch on DAZN (U.K.)
• U.S. — ESPN via Sling TV
• Canada — TSN
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free
We're down to the final seven teams in this year's college football playoffs and the Hoosiers' experienced head coach Curt Cignetti has led his young men to an impressive 13-0 record this far. Having torn up the Big Ten, they now have a golden opportunity to make their first Peach Bowl in 25 years and a further stride to a first ever National Championship game. Can Fernando Mendoza do even more for his reputation as a future star QB after picking up the Heisman Trophy in December?
Alabama withstood a spirited Okhlahoma performance to win their CFP First Round game two weeks ago. Stepping into Nick Saban's legendary shoes was never going to be an easy task, but head coach Kalen DeBoer will be eager for results to start going his way and fast. Can they upset the Hoosiers and kickstart a new dynasty from 2026?
These proud schools have never met on the football field before, making this a historic encounter before it even gets started. Here's how to watch Rose Bowl 2026 college football from anywhere in the world, and potentially for free.
Can I watch Rose Bowl 2026 for free?
All 11 college football playoff games — including the 2026 Rose Bowl between Alabama vs Indiana — are available to watch free-of-charge on DAZN in the U.K.. Just register an account.
Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution — you can use a VPN to watch the Rose Bowl for free. We’ll show you how below.
Watch Rose Bowl 2026 from anywhere
Away from home and blocked from watching Alabama vs Indiana?
You can still watch your usual Rose Bowl live streams thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software makes your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Ideal for fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you want to watch your free DAZN stream of the games, choose 'United Kingdom' from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to DAZN and watch the Rose Bowl live.
How to watch Rose Bowl 2026 in the U.S.
The 2026 Rose Bowl is being shown by ESPN, so you're good to go if you already have that as part a cable package.
If you're a cord cutter, Sling TV is one of the most cost-efficient cable TV alternatives available to live stream Alabama vs Indiana. Its Sling Orange plan carries ESPN and costs $5 per day, $10 for three days, $15/week, $46/month or $115/quarter.
ESPN's coverage is also available to live stream on ESPN Unlimited, which costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year, but for a limited time you can bundle it with Disney Plus and Hulu for $29.99/month for 12 months.
Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV will let you tune in too.
How to watch Rose Bowl 2026 in Canada
ESPN's college football coverage is shown on TSN in Canada — including the 2026 Rose Bowl between Alabama vs Indiana.
A TSN Plus subscription grants access to everything TSN has to offer for just CA$8/month or CA$80/year.
If you're outside Canada but have a subscription, you can watch the 2026 Rose Bowl with the aid of a VPN, such as NordVPN.
How to watch Rose Bowl 2026 in the U.K.
In the U.K. the 2026 Rose Bowl is free-to-air on DAZN.
All you need is an account. A DAZN subscription usually costs £24.99/month or £180/year.
If you're on holiday outside the U.K., you can still follow your usual Alabama vs Indiana live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
How to watch Rose Bowl 2026 in Australia
Aussies will find Rose Bowl live streams on ESPN via Foxtel.
Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? The games will also be shown on Kayo Sports, with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from just AU$30/month, and hosting plenty of NFL, cricket, AFL, rugby, F1 and loads of other live sports besides. Anybody who hasn't used the service can do so with its 7-day FREE trial.
Another great option for this and every NHL game is Disney Plus. Plans start from AU$16/month or AU$160/year.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your account as if you were back home.
More from Tom's Guide
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.
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