Regardless of which you use, you can’t access U.S.-based streaming platforms if you’re not in the country. This is because of so-called geo–restrictions. But there’s an easy workaround. You can use a VPN to get a U.S. IP address and unblock your account no matter where you are in the world. Here’s how: Most of their sports coverage has moved to Peacock, so if you want to watch NFL Sunday Night Football, Premier League soccer, or NASCAR, among other sports, you’ll need a premium account. If you’re looking to access NBC and the USA Network for sports coverage online, you’ll need a streaming TV platform like SlingTV to do so. We’ll break down how you can still watch NBC Sports online below.
How Can I Watch NBC Sports Online?
Watching sports on NBC is pretty simple with traditional cable television providers. If you sign into the NBC Sports website or streaming app, you can enter your local provider’s information and be directed to a USA Network, Peacock, or other NBC stream. If you don’t have cable television, there are plenty of ways to stream NBC’s sports programming online.
Stream NBC Sports with Peacock
As far as streaming goes, NBC has moved the majority of its sports programming to Peacock. Though it has a free tier, you’ll need to pay $4.99 per month for premium access to watch sports. You can also pay $9.99 per month for fewer ads. On Peacock Premium, you can watch live events, like:
NFL Sunday Night Football All Premier League soccer matches All WWE premium live events like Wrestlemania and Summer Slam, and Raw and SmackDown All Notre Dame college football games Motorsports like NASCAR, IMSA, Nitro RallyCross, IndyCar and MotoGP Select Major League Baseball games Rugby PGA Major tournaments
You’ll also have access to NBC Sports programming like:
The Dan Patrick Show Mike Floria and Chris Simms The Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry NASCAR American Motor Mouths Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Download
Stream with a service that carries NBC and USA Network
Fortunately, not all is lost for people who prefer streaming services over a TV subscription or aren’t looking to dedicate themselves solely to Peacock. If you’re looking for full access to NBC’s sports content, you’ll just need a platform that carries NBC and the USA Network. Then you’ll be able to get most of the same sports that you’d get from Peacock. Here are a few below:
SlingTV: Cheapest way to watch
SlingTV is the cheapest streaming service out there, and has several packages geared toward sports fans. You’ll be able to pick up NBC and the USA Network on either its Orange or Blue plan. Either of those plans runs $35 per month, though, at the time of writing, SlingTV was offering new customers half off their first month. In addition to NBC Sports content, you’ll get sports channels like ESPN 1, 2, and 3, FOX and FOX Sports 1, NFL Network, TBS and TNT. Of course, you’ll have plenty of other television channels to watch online as well. You can just browse their plans to see which is the best fit.
FuboTV: Most options for sports fans
FuboTV is another big player in the online television space and is definitely geared toward sports fans. Once you pick up a subscription (which starts at $69.99), you’ll have access to NBC Sports content through NBC and the USA Network. You’ll also have access to every other American sports channel you’ll need to watch your favorite events, games, and matches. If you’re on the fence about trying it, FuboTV usually offers a seven-day free trial.
YouTube TV: Convenient, with a free trial
YouTube is a name most online users are familiar with, but they’ve been pushing their online YouTube TV streaming service as well. Since they offer access to NBC and the USA Network, you’ll be able to get all the NBC Sports content you need. Moreover, you’ll also have access to most other key sports channels and national networks. Considering the average user has likely navigated YouTube (and might have a Google account already), signing up for their lengthy three-week trial is pretty convenient and a good way to try it out. Plans start at $64.99 per month.
Other options
Other viable options for streaming NBC Sports content are Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream. Hulu + Live TV starts at $69.99 per month, while DirecTV Stream is usually around $89.99 per month. These services are loaded with more entertainment and binge-worthy content, though, rather than geared toward sports.
Can I Watch NBC Sports Outside the U.S.?
In short, yes. But it’s a little tricky. Ordinarily, Peacock and the other streaming services mentioned above won’t work outside the United States and their territories. Like many popular streaming services, these U.S.-based platforms have ways of enforcing so-called geographic restrictions. By using your IP address, websites can determine your real location in the world and opt whether or not to block your access. So, in theory, if you’re outside the U.S., you’re out of luck when it comes to streaming Peacock, SlingTV, or FuboTV. Fortunately, there is a handy software tool called a virtual private network (VPN) that can solve this issue with the click of a button. You can use a VPN to get a U.S. IP address and unblock all kinds of American-based websites and open up new libraries of content. Want to access NBC Sports content no matter where you are in the world? We’ll show you how in the quick guide below:
Step-by-step guide: How to watch NBC Sports worldwide with a VPN
Best VPNs for Streaming NBC Sports Abroad
When it comes to streaming NBC Sports in HD, you need a VPN with fast connections, fast streaming speeds, reliable U.S. servers, and plenty of them. If you’re looking for a few good options, we’ve tested every VPN out there worth trying and have come up with a top list of the best for sports streaming. We’ll run through them below. We’ve compiled this list based on speeds, user-friendliness, U.S. server network for accessing NBC Sports content, unblocking capabilities, and pricing.
1. Surfshark: Best all-around for NBC Sports (Peacock and USA Network)
When it comes to live streaming HD sports, Surfshark has become our go-to VPN. If you’re looking for a lightning-fast VPN that lets you to stream your NBC Sports favorites without buffering, lags, delays, and freeze-ups, look no further. This provider has impressive streaming speeds and in recent years has emerged as one of the fastest VPNs available. In fact, it took the number one spot during our recent speed tests. Surfshark also offers a free option to use a “Static IP,” which is a variation of a dedicated IP address. Instead of rotating and randomizing your IP address every time you connect to a server, they give you the same address to use each time. This improves unblocking and makes it less likely for an IP to get blacklisted, and you won’t have to go through as many verification processes. Moreover, Surfshark has over 600 servers in the US, with five static IP options. These servers performed extraordinarily well in our Surfshark tests for streaming. Since it’s one of the fastest, easiest-to-use, and one of the cheapest premium VPNs to boot, it tops our list as the best sports streaming VPN.
2. CyberGhost for NBC Sports
CyberGhost is another excellent option for live sports streaming and works well with most platforms. CyberGhost even has optimized servers for watching specific streaming services. For instance, CyberGhost offers servers for streaming services Peacock TV and Hulu — both of which give access to NBC Sports. If that isn’t enough to satisfy your sports appetite, it also has specific servers for many other sports streams, such as Globo SporTV and Fox Sports. In total, it offers optimized servers for 60 different streaming services, which is quite impressive. When we tried these servers for our CyberGhost review, we were very happy with the result: CyberGhost just makes it so easy to stream. Equally as important, CyberGhost has 1,300+ servers in the US and excellent streaming speeds. It also offers a degree of manual server selection, with you being able to select a city of your choice. Apart from this, CyberGhost offers dedicated IP addresses and is priced even lower than Surfshark.
3. NordVPN: A strong runner-up for NBC Sports
Don’t be fooled by its No. 3 ranking, NordVPN is no slouch when it comes to watching NBC Sports content or any other HD streams, for that matter. As far as speeds go, it can certainly hold its own and is right up there with the fastest VPN providers. Its U.S. network is also quite impressive, boasting 1,900+ servers at optimum speeds. It also offers those useful dedicated IPs to improve unblocking and avoid extra verifications and other roadblocks VPN users might run into. Many U.S.-based online television streamers don’t actively block VPNs at the moment, but you never know when they might change their tune. If you’re streaming on desktop, you can manually select your servers in case you find a faster one or one simply stops working. If our other picks don’t meet your needs for any reason, NordVPN is definitely a service to consider. You can read more in our full NordVPN review.
How to Set Up a VPN to Watch NBC Sports
Another great thing about Surfshark, CyberGhost and NordVPN is that they can be used on pretty much any device. If you’re in Cancun, Mexico, and want to watch Sunday Night Football, you can stream NBC Sports on your Windows PC, or you can pull up the Peacock app on your iPhone and stream at the poolside bar. We’ve put together guides on how to install VPNs on all major operating systems, so you’ll have your bases covered. Here are a few of our key guides:
Desktop devices
Windows computer: The easiest way to install a VPN is to visit the provider’s website and download the software directly onto your device. Below is a quick visual guide for the simple version. But even if you don’t have the software, once you’ve created your login credentials, you can actually set up a VPN through your Windows settings as well.
Mac computer: Downloading VPN software on a Mac will be pretty much the same process as described above. However, for the tech-savvy, we’ve put together a guide for installing a VPN on macOS manually.
Smartphones and mobile devices
Android device: Once you’ve created your account, you’ll be able to find Surfshark, NordVPN or CyberGhost in the Google Play Store. After you’ve downloaded your VPN from the app store, getting it up and running is a cinch. Once you’re connected to a US server, you can download and access the Peacock app. iPhone or iPad (iOS): Take your VPN pick and search it out in the Apple App store. Download the VPN app on iOS, log in with your credentials, choose a U.S. server, and you’ll have an American IP address. From there, you’ll be able to access American streaming platforms with NBC Sports or the Peacock TV app.
Other devices
Smart TV: If you install a VPN on your Windows device, you can create a mobile hotspot and connect your VPN to your Smart TV. We’ve broken down how to install a VPN on your Smart TV step-by-step. Router: If you’re looking to secure your entire Wi-Fi connection and not just individual devices, we’ve put together an explainer on how you can install a VPN on your router.
Final Thoughts
Though NBC Sports is spread out now, it’s still fairly easy to access their content if you know where to look. All you’ll need is a Peacock TV account or access to streaming TV providers like SlingTV that have NBC Sports content on the USA Network or NBC. Since NBC Sports is most easily available through these American streaming platforms, you will need a VPN like Surfshark if you’re going to use them while traveling or living abroad. Fortunately, the ones we’ve mentioned accept payment via PayPal, as well as U.S.-based credit cards. If you find yourself unable to access these for any reason, there’s always an option to check out free sports streaming sites to look for your favorite games, matches, and sports. For more reading on unblocking or watching sports for free, you may want to check out these guides below:
How to Watch the FIFA World Cup for Free The 12 Best Free NFL Streaming Sites How to Watch Thursday Night Football Online How to Watch College Football from Anywhere Watch UFC Pay-Per-View Fights (Free Streams and Discounts) How to Watch NBA Games Online How to Access Hulu from Anywhere in the World Watch the Most Popular BBC Programming on iPlayer Outside the UK
