Indy 500 race on a screen next to a racing helmet and a play button
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The Indy 500, aka the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Tens of thousands of people show up to watch the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and millions more tune in from their homes across the world.

But what if you can’t join in on the fun? Many fans can’t watch the Indy 500 because of where they live. It’s a common problem, especially if you travel frequently. On top of that, those living in Indianapolis will know all about the market blackouts that come with the Indy 500.

With a VPN, you can get around geo-restrictions easily and unblock any stream on race day with just a few clicks!

Quick Guide: Watch the Indy 500 for Free in Under 5 Minutes

You can watch this year’s Indy 500 on Sunday, May 24, from 10:00 AM ET onwards. The race will be live on FOX, which you can access through cable or via FOXSports.com. On holiday? Use a VPN to get an American IP address!

If you don’t have a cable provider, you get a preview pass on FOX Sports for 60 minutes, which will eventually run out – unless you use a VPN.

Watch the Indy 500 (2026) for Free

Here’s how to watch the Indianapolis 2026 race for free, from anywhere:

  1. Sign up with a VPN provider. We’ve done extensive testing and recommend NordVPN for Indy 500.
  2. Download the VPN for your device.
  3. Log in with your credentials.
  4. Connect to a US server. This will give you an American IP address to stream FOX Sports.
  5. Head over to FOXSports.com and watch the Indy 500 on May 24, 2026! The pre-race  starts at 10 AM ET, with the actual race starting at 12 AM ET.

On FOX Sports, you will get 60 minutes of free streaming before you’re asked to provide your cable login. Don’t have cable? Simply exit the window, change your VPN server, clear your cookies, and go back to FOX Sports. This does the trick! Make sure you use an incognito tab, too.

Where to Watch the Indy 500 in 2026

The official broadcaster for the 2026 edition of Indianapolis 500 is FOX. If you don’t have cable, you can also use a live TV streaming provider to watch the race live. If you use a VPN, you have even more options at your disposal!

Where to stream the Indy 500 in the USA

USA circle flag

If you live in the US, the event will be broadcast on FOX starting at 10:00 AM (ET). To watch online, the best route is FOX Sports, although you can also use any live TV streaming service that features FOX:

  • Sling TV
  • Fubo TV
  • Hulu Live TV
  • YouTube TV

If you’re traveling outside the US, you can use NordVPN to get a United States IP address and watch the Indy 500.

How to stream the Indy 500 in Canada

Circular flag of Canada

IndyCar fans in Canada can watch with TSN on cable, or use their TSN+ streaming player. If you’re outside Canadian borders during the race, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open NordVPN and connect to a server in Canada.
  2. Visit TSN+.
  3. Look for their coverage of the Indianapolis 500.

Enjoy the race!

How to stream the Indianapolis 500 in the UK

UK circle flag

Sky Sports holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the Indy 500 in the UK. Those traveling outside the UK can access their accounts by following these steps:

  1. Get NordVPN and connect to one of their servers in the UK.
  2. Visit Sky Sports.
  3. Tune into Sky Sports to catch the Indy 500.

Where to Watch Indy 500 in Australia

Circular flag of Australia

Stan Sport is the official Indy 500 broadcaster in Australia. Just follow this quick guide if you’re outside the country during the event:

  1. Get NordVPN and connect to an Aussie server.
  2. Visit Stan Sport.
  3. Track down the 2026 Indy 500.

Free Indy 500 Streams: Can You Watch the Indy 500 for Free?

Yes, you can watch the Indy 500 live for free by visiting FOXSports.com or using the app. If you don’t have cable, you get a preview pass for 60 minutes. This is not enough time to watch the event in its entirety, unless you use a VPN.

With a VPN, you can change your IP address. Not only does this allow you to unblock FOX Sports from anywhere, it will also give you the opportunity to extend your preview pass multiple times. Here’s how:

  1. Get a VPN subscription. We recommend NordVPN for streaming the Indy 500. We tested this VPN extensively and could easily watch FOX Sports live, even outside the US.
  2. Install the VPN on whatever device you want watch the race on.
  3. Open the app and log in with the same credentials you used when subscribing.
  4. Connect to a server in the US. Just make sure it’s not a server in Indianapolis!

    Screenshot of NordVPN app, US map with servers
  5. Head over to FOX Sports to watch the Indy 500 race on May 24, 2026.

After using your preview pass for 60 minutes, you can renew your pass by closing your window, changing your VPN server and re-opening FOX Sports. Make sure you use an incognito tab and clear your cookies.

The Best VPN for Watching Indianapolis 500

Not all VPNs can unblock geographical restrictions. We did the testing for you to see which VPN is best at unblocking FOX Sports and other streaming platforms!

Based on our own experience, we recommend NordVPN. With lightning-fast speeds, you won’t have to miss any of the action. Not to mention, NordVPN has a large server network, with great options in the US, UK, Australia, and plenty more countries. All of this for a pretty good price.

Get 75% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free

If you’re looking for something even cheaper, Surfshark is our go-to budget alternative for sports streaming.

Can I use a free VPN to watch the Indy 500?

Free VPNs can be very attractive when trying to stream big sporting events like the Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately, free VPNs aren’t suited for unblocking streaming sites. They have a limited network, and often don’t have the resources to stay on top of VPN blocks.

Not to mention, free VPNs tend to have strict limits on bandwidth, and sometimes even your connection speed. This means that you’ll struggle with buffering, lag, and timed-out connections if you try to stream anything with a free VPN.

Don’t want to commit to a VPN? Use NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee as a free trial and receive a full refund within 30 days.

In Short: Live Streaming the Indy 500

The 109th edition of the Indy 500 promises to deliver one of the most spectacular editions of the Indianapolis 500. We’re excited to see who comes out on top on Sunday, May 24. Pre-race events start at 10 AM ET, with kick-off at 12 AM ET.

If you’re as excited as we are, FOX is the best place to watch the event in the US. If you’re outside the country at that time, or if the Indy 500 isn’t being streamed where you live, you can still watch the show. You’ll just need a VPN to change your IP address and watch for free!

Get 75% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free

Luckily, you can use a VPN for a lot more than just watching the Indy 500. Find out more from our other streaming articles:

How to Watch the Indy 500 From Anywhere: Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re still unsure about how to use a VPN to watch the Indy 500, don’t worry. Our FAQ section below should make everything clear.

How can I stream the Indy 500?

You can stream the Indy 500 in a lot of ways, depending on where you live. The Indy 500 will stream on:

  • FOX (United States)
  • Sky Sports (United Kingdom)
  • Stan Sport (Australia)

If you’re not in one of those countries on Sunday, May 24, and haven’t found a working stream, you can use a VPN to change your IP address and access these sites regardless of your actual location.

Is the Indy 500 streaming on Peacock?

As of 2026, FOX is the official home of IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500 will no longer be streaming on Peacock.

Can I watch the Indy 500 if I live in Indianapolis?

The 109th race of the Indianapolis 500 will abide by the race’s long tradition of TV blackout in Indianapolis. So if you live there, you can either buy a ticket to see the race live, or use a VPN to change your location and watch the Indy 500 no matter where you are.

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