- How to watch 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey for free
- When does hockey start and end at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
- Free vs paid streaming services for 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey
- Why use a VPN to watch ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympic games?
- How to watch ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics from anywhere
- What to know about hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics
- Conclusion
- FAQ
You can watch ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics free from anywhere using NordVPN with BBC iPlayer (UK), CBC Gem (Canada), 9Now (Australia), and RTÉ Player (Ireland). If you’re not in a supported broadcasting area, use NordVPN to change your IP address and unblock the respective platform.
Ice hockey is one of the headline events of the 2026 Winter Olympics, which is taking place in Milano-Cortina this year. Men’s and women’s tournaments are running from February 5 to February 22 in 2026. This year, we see the return of NHL players, adding variety to the competition and bringing back the world’s best talent in Olympic ice hockey for the first time in over a decade.
The Olympic ice hockey games will be broadcast worldwide on a number of free and paid streaming services. While some public broadcasters offer free coverage, many of these streams are geo-blocked outside their home country.
In my guide, I explain how and where you can watch Winter Olympics ice hockey for free, and how to use a VPN to unblock free ice hockey streams no matter where you are.
How to watch 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey for free
- Get a reliable VPN for streaming. NordVPN, now 75% off, performed best in my tests thanks to fast streaming speeds and broad server availability worldwide.
- Download and install your chosen VPN’s software, then log in.
- Connect to a server in a country with free ice hockey streams. I used BBC iPlayer.
- Go to a streaming service’s website that offers free ice hockey streams.
- Enjoy watching Winter Olympics ice hockey free from anywhere.
When does hockey start and end at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey competition takes place from Thursday, February 5 to Sunday, February 22. Here’s a closer look at key dates surrounding the ice hockey competition:
| Women’s tournament: | Feb 5 – Feb 19, 2026 — Group play begins on Feb 5, with quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games through Feb 19. |
| Men’s tournament: | Feb 11 – Feb 22, 2026 — Preliminary rounds start Feb 11, leading to medal games on Feb 22. |
| Venue: | Two primary venues in Milan for ice hockey: PalaItalia and Fiera Milano / Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. |
| Free streaming sites: | BBC iPlayer (UK) — free with valid TV licence; may not show every game live. CBC Gem (Canada) — free streams & on-demand coverage of selected events. 9Now (Australia) — free access to select events (account required). RTÉ Player (Ireland) — free coverage of selected Olympic events. |
For a full breakdown of the complete ice hockey schedule, including where to catch games on your TV, you can find more information on the NBC Olympics schedule page. Here’s more information about the live streaming schedule for the women’s and men’s hockey tournaments:
Women’s Group A:
- February 5: USA vs Czechia, 10:40 a.m. ET
- February 5: Canada vs Finland, 3:10 p.m. ET
- February 7: USA vs Finland, 10:40 a.m. ET
- February 7: Switzerland vs Canada, 3:10 p.m. ET
- February 8: Czechia vs Finland, 3:10 p.m. ET
(Knockout/Quarterfinals & later games continue through Feb 19)
Women’s Group B:
- February 5: Sweden vs Germany, 6:10 a.m. ET
- February 5 : Italy vs France, 8:40 a.m. ET
- February 6: France vs Japan, 6:10 a.m. ET
- February 7: Germany vs Japan, 6:10 a.m. ET
- February 7: Sweden vs Italy, 8:40 a.m. ET
- February 8: France vs Sweden, 10:40 a.m. ET
(More Group B games are scheduled before quarterfinals later in the tournament)
Men’s Group B
- February 8: Slovakia vs Finland, 10:40 a.m. ET
- February 11: Sweden vs Italy, 3:10 p.m. ET
- February 13: Finland vs Sweden, 6:10 a.m. ET
- February 14: Sweden vs Slovakia, 6:10 a.m. ET
- February 14: Finland vs Italy, 10:40 a.m. ET
(Playoff rounds follow group play)
Men’s Group A
- February 12: Switzerland vs France — 6:10 a.m. ET
- February 12: Canada vs Czechia — 8:40 a.m. ET
- February 13: France vs Czechia — 10:40 a.m. ET
- February 13: Canada vs Switzerland — 3:10 p.m. ET
- February 15: Switzerland vs Czechia — 6:10 a.m. ET
- February 15: Canada vs France — 10:40 a.m. ET
(Group A games continue before the playoff round)
Free vs paid streaming services for 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey
The Winter Olympics, including the ice hockey tournaments, are being shown on free streaming services in countries such as the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, and Australia. BBC iPlayer is one of the best places to access free Winter Olympics streams, but you must be a UK resident and have a valid TV license to watch the service.
In Canada, residents can use CBC Gem to access free Winter Olympics streams, while in Australia, 9Now will offer free ice hockey streaming. Similarly, the Republic of Ireland will air free streams on RTE Player. In the US, you can get a 21-day free trial of YouTube TV to access free coverage on NBC, CNBC, and USA Network.
| 2026 Winter Olympic ice hockey streaming site | Free | Paid subscriptions from |
|---|---|---|
| BBC iPlayer (UK) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in the UK |
| CBC Gem (Canada) | ✅ Yes | CAD $4.99/month (ad-free tier) |
| RTE Player (Ireland) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in Ireland |
| 9Now (Australia) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in Australia |
| ORF (Austria) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in Austria |
| France TV (France) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in France |
| ARD (Germany) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in Germany |
| RTVE (Spain) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in Spain |
| RAI (Italy) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in Italy |
| Peacock (US) | – | From $7.99/month (Premium) |
| Eurosport (Europe) | – | Via Discovery+, from €6.99/month (varies by country) |
| CCTV (China) | ✅ Yes | ❌ Completely free in China |
Access free winter ice hockey streams from the UK, Canada, Australia and the Republic of Ireland by using NordVPN to change your IP address and access these streaming services from anywhere.
Why use a VPN to watch ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympic games?
You can watch the 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey for free on BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem, RTE Player, and 9Now. However, all of these streaming platforms are geo-restricted to their respective countries. Fortunately, anyone can bypass these restrictions by using a VPN. When you connect to a VPN server, your IP address mirrors the server’s address, making it appear as if you’re located in that country. As a result, the platform is unblocked for you.
Using a VPN to access Winter Olympics streams also offers you enhanced security by protecting your online activity and personal data with robust encryption. What’s more, streaming with a VPN can even optimize and improve your speed in some cases, by optimizing routing distance and preventing your ISP from throttling your speeds.
Benefits of using NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for bypassing geo-restrictions and streaming ice hockey at Winter Olympics live online, for several reasons:
- 9300+ servers in 137 countries: NordVPN has thousands of servers, letting you connect to countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia for ice hockey streaming.
- Fast streaming speeds: Based on my tests, NordVPN is the fastest VPN for streaming ice hockey at the Olympics in HD and 4K, with speeds up to 880 Mbps.
- Zero-logs policy: NordVPN doesn’t collect, store, or sell any of your data, ensuring all your online activity and personal information remains secure.
- Simultaneous connections: You can use NordVPN on up to 10 simultaneous devices, meaning you can stream the Olympics ice hockey on desktop, mobile, and smart devices.
- Free trial and money-back guarantee: With a 3-day free trial for Android and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all platforms, you can use NordVPN free for up to 33 days.
With NordVPN, you can access official ice hockey streams that would otherwise be inaccessible in your region. NordVPN’s secure encryption will also ensure your streaming speeds can’t be impacted by problems like ISP (internet service provider) speed throttling or inefficient network routing.
Based on my research, you can currently lock in a massive 75% discount on NordVPN’s 2-year plan, paying just /month. This includes up to 33 days’ free access with NordVPN’s free trial and money-back guarantee.
How to watch ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics from anywhere
In order to watch ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics without running into restrictions, you’ll need a VPN to change your IP address. This will let you access free ice hockey Winter Olympics streams on platforms like BBC iPlayer (UK), CBC Gem (Canada), 9Now (Australia), RAI (Italy), and RTE Player (Ireland). These platforms are geo-restricted to their respective regions, but you can access them by using your VPN to bypass geo-blocks.
Step 1. Choose a reliable VPN for streaming
First, choose a reliable streaming VPN that offers a large number of worldwide servers that can effectively bypass geo-restrictions. The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but premium VPNs routinely offer free trials and money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can access free ice hockey streams without committing to a long subscription. I recommend NordVPN, which has a 3-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee, and offers the fastest HD and 4K streaming speeds on 9300+ worldwide servers.
Step 2. Download and install the VPN app
Next, download and install the VPN software from the provider’s official website (www.nordvpn.com) or your device’s app store. During tests, I noticed that NordVPN has 10 simultaneous connections and sleek native apps for iOS and Android, allowing you to seamlessly stream ice hockey on your phone. Since most streaming services offering Winter Olympics streams have reliable mobile apps, this is a good choice for streaming ice hockey in 2026.
Step 3. Connect to a server where the Olympics stream is available
Now, connect to a VPN server in a country where the Winter Olympics streams are available. Free streaming sites with ice hockey streams include BBC iPlayer (UK), CBC Gem (Canada), 9Now (Australia), RAI (Italy), and RTE Player (Ireland). In the US, you can access a free trial option for NBC USA Network and CNBC coverage through YouTube TV.
For non-English language Olympics free streams, you can access ORF (Austria), RTBF (Belgium), VRT (Belgium), DR (Denmark), France TV (France), RAI (Italy), Yle (Finland), ZDF (Germany), RUV (Iceland), NOS (Netherlands), NRK (Norway), TVP (Poland), RTVE (Spain), Canal Nu9ve (Mexico), and SRF RTS (Switzerland).
Choose a server based on your preferred streaming service by connecting to the same country. Ideally, try to choose the server and streaming platform closest to you, as this helps you to get the best streaming speeds by reducing network routing distance.
Step 4. Open the streaming platform and start watching
Finally, go to the broadcaster’s website or download their mobile app and create an account to sign up if you’re prompted to do so. For some platforms, you may need to create a free account. On BBC iPlayer, you need to input a UK postcode, but you can simply find any UK postcode on Google, and it will work. Then, you can navigate to the Winter Olympics section to start streaming ice hockey for free.
What to know about hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament in Milano-Cortina sees National Hockey League players officially return to Olympic competition in the men’s and women’s tournaments. This is the first men’s NHL participation since 2014. On the men’s side, a 12-team field is split into three groups of four, with Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, and France in Group A; Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, and Italy in Group B; and USA, Germany, Latvia, and Denmark in Group C. Russia and Belarus are still banned due to the invasion of Ukraine, but France has been selected as the replacement contenders based on 2024 qualifiers.
We can expect to see top competitors that include Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar representing Canada. The United States is likely to feature Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, and Brady Tkachuk. Global streams are split across free and paid platforms with geo-blocks in place, so knowing where and how to watch is important. Based on my tests, the best way to watch ice hockey free streams is on BBC iPlayer using NordVPN to change your IP address if you’re outside the UK.
Conclusion
The 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament runs from 5 to 22 February 2026, seeing men’s and women’s tournaments bringing back NHL players for the first time since 2014. Several broadcasters will offer free ice hockey streams, including BBC iPlayer (UK), RTÉ Player (Ireland), 9Now (Australia), and CBC Gem (Canada).
However, these platforms use geo-blocks, which means you can only watch them if you’re physically in the broadcaster’s country. If you’re located elsewhere, you can use a VPN to unblock and access free ice hockey streams. Following my in-house tests, NordVPN came out as the best VPN for streaming the Winter Olympics thanks to its large global server network and consistently fast speeds that are essential for live sports streaming without buffering or lag.
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FAQ
Yes, the 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey is the first time NHL players will participate since the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The decision follows a joint agreement between the NHL, the NHL Players’ Association, the International Ice Hockey Federation, and the IOC, making Milano-Cortina 2026 one of the most anticipated Olympic hockey tournaments in years.
You can watch all the Winter Olympic hockey games on BBC iPlayer for free, though as it is a UK streaming service, you will need a VPN if you’re located anywhere else. I tested 20+ VPNs and found that NordVPN is the best VPN to watch free Olympic ice hockey streams. With 500+ UK VPN servers and the fastest streaming speeds, it’s the best way to watch the event without cost. Other options include RTE Player (Ireland), CBC Gem (Canada), and RTVE (Spain).
You can watch men’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics by accessing free streams on platforms like BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem, RTE Player, 9Now, France TV, and RTVE. If you live outside of the countries where these services are based, you’ll need to use a VPN to change your IP address.
You can watch women’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics by streaming the tournament free on BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem, 9Now, RTE Player, RTVE, and France TV. Bear in mind that these streaming platforms are geo-blocked outside of their respective countries. If you live in a country that doesn’t support one of these platforms, you can change your IP address with a VPN to unblock the website.
