How to stream 2018 Winter Olympics for free—anywhere in the world

As the dust settles from last weekend’s Super Bowl and the Philadelphia Eagles’ big win, the next major sporting event is upon us—one that arrives every four years. The 2018 Winter Olympic Games from Pyeongchang, South Korea, is underway, and you won’t want to miss any of the action.

Here’s how to stream the 2018 Winter Olympic Games for free—regardless of where you are in the world.

When are the 2018 Winter Olympics?

While some events like figure skating and freestyle skiing are already underway, the opening ceremony started today, Friday, February 9th, at 8:00am EST. The Games finish on Sunday, February 25th.

Stream 2018 Winter Olympics

Today, more people than ever are cutting the cord and ditching cable for various online streaming services. The trouble is, when major sporting events like the Olympics occur, it can be tough to watch without a cable subscription.

In the U.S., NBC will not allow you to stream the games for free online without some kind of pay-TV login. You may remember that it did stream Super Bowl 52 for free, even without a subscription, on NBCSports.com as well as the NBC Sports app. If you don’t have a subscription, your options are to watch the main NBC primetime broadcast via an antenna on your TV or to settle for a one-time, 30-minute free highlight show online, plus an additional five free minutes per day.

What if I’m traveling out of the country?

If, on the other hand, you do have a pay-TV login but you happen to find yourself traveling, NBC’s geographical location blocker will not allow you to stream your content. For that, you’ll need to download a VPN and select a server that is located within the United States. Then, you’ll be able to stream as if you were sat in your own living room.

This will also apply to other countries, like if the United Kingdom is home but you’re away on business. To access BBC iPlayer, for example, you’ll need a VPN and a server location in the UK. Apply the same method for your local country and desired streaming app.

Here’s how it works:

1. Download and install Hotspot Shield Elite VPN

1. Click connect within the Hotspot Shield app

1. Once connected, select “Server location”

1. Select a server from the country in which you’re trying to stream from (for example, United States for NBC, or United Kingdom for BBC)

1. Go to your streaming app and log in as normal

Enjoy streaming the 2018 Winter Olympics

What about if I have Sling TV or FuboTV?

Sling TV users will have access to NBC Sports via the basic “Sling Orange” package. And if you don’t have a Sling TV subscription just yet, you can get 7-days of streaming for free. Now would be a good time to try it out and enjoy some Winter Olympics for your free trial. FuboTV does the same, allowing you to use your subscription to log into the NBC Sports app and then watch Olympic content. Like we mentioned above, if you’re traveling outside of the U.S., your subscription to these sites won’t work. To bypass the geographical roadblocks, simply follow the steps above and use a VPN.

To see the full list of broadcasters covering the 2018 Winter Olympics in your country, check out this link. And to find out when your favorite sports are on, see this weekend’s schedule below.

Friday, February 9

Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony: 8 AM (all times EST)

Saturday, February 10

Snowboarding: Men’s Slopestyle Qualifying 2:00 AM

Skiing: Men’s downhill training 3:00 AM

Cross Country: Ladies’ Skiathlon 8:15 AM

Women’s Hockey: Japan vs. Sweden 8:40 AM

Luge: Men’s Run #1+2 11:10 AM

Biathlon: Ladies’ 7.5 km Sprint 12:15 PM

Short Track: Men’s 1500m Finals 1:22 PM

Sunday, February 11

Snowboard: Men’s Slopestyle Final 2:00 AM

Alpine Skiing: Men’s Downhill 3:00 AM

Figure Skating: Pairs Free Skate 5:40 AM

Cross Country: Men’s Skiathlon 7:15 AM

Speed Skating: Men’s 5000m 8:00 AM

Women’s Hockey: Finland vs. USA 8:40 AM

Luge: Men’s Run #3+4 12:00 AM

Biathlon: Men’s 10 km Sprint 12:15 PM

Freestyle Skiing: Ladies’ Moguls 1:00 PM

Monday, February 12

Curling: Mixed Doubles Semifinals 1:05 AM

Figure Skating: Men’s Free Skate 2:00 AM

Alpine Skiing: Ladies Giant Slalom 2:15 AM

Snowboard: Ladies’ Halfpipe 5:30 AM

Biathlon: Ladies/Men’s Pursuit 11:10 AM

Luge: Ladie’s Run #1+2 11:50 AM

Women’s Hockey: Sweden vs. Korea 1:10 AM

Speed Skating: Ladies’ 1500m 1:30 PM

As mentioned, the games will go on until Sunday, February 25, so be sure to check your local listing to see when your favorite sports and athlete take the stage. No matter where you live, or where you travel to, we hope this guide gives you some pointers to help you stream the 2018 Winter Olympics and cheer on your home team.

Check out this article for more information on how to stream your favorite sports or TV shows using Hotspot Shield.