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Light that torch! After the uncertainly of whether the games would still be on due to the rise of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the Beijing Winter Olympics will officially kick off with the opening ceremony on February 4. The games, which will run until February 20, might look a bit different this year, but will still be a place to showcase the talents of top athletes from around the world.
Organizers announced that international spectators would be barred from attending, and only a limited number of “selected” spectators will be allowed at all in-person, at any events in Beijing. So if you want to watch the Olympics this year, the only way you’ll be able to cheer on your favorite athletes is from home (even if you can still order official Winter Olympics merchandise and gear online).
This year’s Winter Olympic games have also added seven new events, from women’s monobobsled, to freestyle skiing big air (men and women), and a number of mixed team events. That brings the number of Olympics events up to 109, an all-time high, so there’s more to watch now than ever before.
NBCUniversal is once again the main broadcast partner for 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Games programming across cable, broadcast, and digital platforms, with Peacock being the official streaming home of the 2022 Olympics. Your basic-cable package like this one we like from Verizon will let you watch the Olympics on TV.
But if you’ve cut the cord and want to watch the Olympics without cable, there are other ways to catch the daily live sports, Olympics channels, highlights, and event replays so you can stream the competition for free online. Here are all the details you need to know.
When Are the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics?
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics run from Friday, February 4 to Sunday, February 20. That being said, some events like curling, ice hockey, and freestyle skiing will all star prior to the opening ceremony, with some curling events kicking off as early as February 2nd.
Beijing is also 13 hours ahead of U.S. ET and 16 hours ahead of PT, so keep in mind that some events will be early in the morning if you want to watch live in the U.S.
How to Watch the Beijing Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
If you want to watch the Olympics on TV, you’ll either need a traditional cable package these plans from AT&T, which you can order now) or you can tune in to NBC and its affiliates through a digital antenna if you have one.
Amazon
The digital antenna above gets you access to your local NBC affiliate to watch the Winter Olympics on your TV. It supports up to 4K broadcasts too, and its 250-plus-mile range means your signal will be strong. Order the antenna through Amazon Prime and have it delivered in time to watch the Winter Olympics.
While the Beijing Winter Olympics will air on TV across NBC, USA, CNBC, and the Olympic Channel. If you have cable access to NBC, you can also watch livestream coverage of the Winter Olympics for free through NBC Sports app (just sign in with their cable provider). For everyone else, here’s how to watch or stream the events online.
How to Watch the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Online
Even though games will be available to watch across multiple television channels, if you don’t have a traditional cable package, you can always get NBC, USA, and more through a number of live-TV streaming services.
1. Watch the Winter Olympics on Sling TV
Sling TV’s Blue Plan gets you access to NBC along with MSNBC, USA, Bravo, and more to watch the Olympics live. Sling TV plans start at $25 per month, but right now, the streamer is offering a free trial so you can try out the service and watch the Winter Olympics.
Sling TV lets you customize which channels you want on your plan, so you get access to 30+ other cable channels in addition to streaming the Olympic Games on NBC. Sling TV’s app pairs with virtually any device to let you watch the 2021 Olympics live from your phone, computer, tablet, and more.
Watch the Winter Olympic Games on Sling TV here
2. Watch the Winter Olympics on fuboTV
Another way to stream the Olympics live online is through fuboTV. A subscription to fubo gets you more than 200 TV channels, including the NBC channel, where you can stream the Beijing Olympics live. Fubo also gets you access to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and you get hours of cloud-based DVR storage if you don’t want to wake up and watch the events live.
Watch the Winter Olympic Games on fuboTV here
3. Watch the Winter Olympics on Hulu + Live TV
You may already be aware of the original series and on-demand programming from Hulu, but the streaming service’s Hulu + Live TV plan will also get you access to NBC (and more than 60 other television channels) so you can watch the Winter Olympics, live sports, and more. Hulu will let you watch coverage of the event from your TV, tablet, laptop, or other connected device.
Watch the Winter Olympic Games on Hulu here
4. Watch the Winter Olympics on Peacock
If you want to stream the Olympics online, you can sign up for NBCUniversal’s own streaming service, Peacock. Since the 2022 Winter Olympic Games are airing on NBC, you can stream the event live (including opening and closing ceremonies) on Peacock for free through the app, which includes viewing from a laptop, smartphone, or smart TV. With Peacock you’ll also get access to NBC’s other live events and upcoming live sports such as WWE events, and this year’s Super Bowl.
For the first time, Peacock Premium subscribers also get to livestream over 2,800+ hours of NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympic Games. There’s two tiers for Peacock Premium, including a $4.99/month ad-supported plan, and a $9.99/month ad-free plan. Both plans give you access to the complete NBC coverage of the Winter Olympic Games.
Watch the Winter Olympic Games on Peacock here
How to Stream the Winter Olympics Free Online
If Spectrum is your internet service provider, the company is now offering free Peacock subscriptions to those who want to cut the cord and stream the Winter Olympics online. You can learn more about this Peacock deal here.
For a blend of live coverage, on-demand content, clips, highlights, and replays all in one place, Hulu also has a 7-day free trial so you can watch the Olympics. Test it out and get instant access to NBC to watch the 2022 Winter Olympics without cable.
The Beijing Winter Olympics are also available to watch online free with Peacock Premium’s 7-day free trial. It’ll give you everything the platform has to offer, and more of your favorite NBC programs and exclusive Peacock content.