How To Stream The 2020 Summer Olympics (in 2021)

After a year-long postponement, the 2020 Summer Olympics are finally set to take place this summer in Japan. In addition to the live broadcasts, which can be viewed on NBC as well as NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app, there are several other places to watch Tokyo 2020, the official name of the postponed summer games.

The Olympic games were originally scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 9, 2020. However, the event was postponed in March 2020 as a result of the global pandemic. Despite the rescheduling, the event is still being marketed and branded as Tokyo 2020. This marks the first time in history that the Olympic games have been postponed, although they were canceled during World War 1 (1916) and World War II (1940 and 1944).

If you’re wondering how to watch the 2020 Olympics, we have all the details on that and more below. The broadcast rights to the Olympic games vary by country, but here in the United States, NBC has exclusive rights to broadcast the Olympics. According to CNBC, “NBC and the International Olympic Committee agreed to a $7.75 billion media rights deal” in 2014, and so for the time being, that means you’ll need to watch the 2020 Olympics on NBC and other channels, apps and websites owned by NBCUniversal.

We’ve got all the details below, so keep reading to find out how to catch every minute of the 2020 Olympic games.

When Will the 2020 Olympics Begin?

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Olympics were postponed for a year. They’re now scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. The Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday, July 23.

Where Are the 2020 Olympics Being Held?

The 2020 Olympics are being held in Tokyo, Japan. (Although they’re being held in the year 2021, the games are still being branded as the 2020 Olympics following the year-long postponement.)

How To Watch The 2020 Olympics

If you want to watch the Olympics on television, then all you need is a regular cable package or HDTV antennae to pick up local NBC affiliates. Many of the biggest events will be broadcast on NBC. However, because of the sheer volume of Olympic events, other events and programming will air on other NBCUniversal TV channels such as NBCSN, Telemundo Deportes, USA Network, the Olympic Channel, and the Golf Channel.

Per CNBC, NBCUniversal “will show more than 7,000 hours of content from the Tokyo Olympics across its networks and streaming platforms,” including about 5,000 hours of content that will stream on NBCOlympics.com.

All-in-all, the 2020 Olympics will consist of 33 competitions and 339 events held across 42 venues, with NBC airing the more popular events like basketball, swimming and gymnastics. The NBC Sports Network will provide other Team USA sports such as wrestling and tennis while the Golf Channel will air all golf events. Telemundo Desportes will also offer access to many of the games in Spanish.

Peacock TV

BEST OVERALL

NBC’s streaming service Peacock will offer real-time viewing of the games including exclusive live coverage of the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies before they air on NBC. Access is free with a basic subscription (with ads). You can also go ad-free by upgrading your plan for $4.99 per month. Thanks to the low cost, this is probably the best way to watch the 2020 Olympics if you don’t want to pay for cable.

Sling TV

You can view most of the games on Sling TV with a Sling Blue subscription for $35. This will give you access to the NBC Sports Network and the USA Network. If you combine it with the Sports Extra package for $11 per month, you’ll also be able to view the Olympic Channel and Golf Channel so you can enjoy every single event you desire. Sling TV offers a seven-day free trial period.

Hulu Live + TV

You’ll be able to watch every game with a subscription to Hulu TV + Live TV. It offers NBC Sports Network, the USA Network, and The Olympic Channel for $64.99 and offers a free seven-day trial.

YouTube TV

A YouTube TV subscription will you to view on NBC, NBC Sports, the Olympic Channel, USA, and the Golf Channel, for complete access to all of the events. This service will run $64.99 per month.

Fubo TV

Fubo TV offers live access to the 2020 Olympic Games through the NBC, USA, and the Olympics channel for $59.99 a month. The service offers a seven-day free trial for new customers.

What Games Will Be Played At The 2020 Olympics?

Per Olympics.com, there will be 33 competitions in total, including five recently added games. Traditionally, soccer, gymnastics and track and field events are the biggest draws. This year, Simone Biles will once again be competing for Olympic glory, and new sports such as skateboarding and climbing will take place for the first time.

RadioTimes.com lists the games (in alphabetical order) as follows:

• Aquatics (including diving, swimming, artistic, water polo)
• Archery
• Athletics
• Badminton
• Baseball/softball (NEW)
• Basketball
• Boxing
• Canoeing
• Cycling (including BMX racing, BMX freestyle, mountain biking, road, and track)
• Equestrian
• Fencing
• Field hockey
• Football
• Golf
• Gymnastics (including artistic, rhythmic, trampoline)
• Handball
• Judo
• Karate (NEW)
• Modern pentathlon
• Rowing
• Rugby sevens
• Sailing
• Shooting
• Skateboarding (NEW)
• Sport climbing (NEW)
• Surfing (NEW)
• Table tennis
• Taekwondo
• Tennis
• Triathlon
• Volleyball (including beach volleyball)
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

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