It’s that time again when all tennis fans’ eyes are on the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. From May 16 through June 5, we watch the best players in the world duke it out on the clay courts to see who comes away victorious. How and where you watch it, though, is another subject, and in this guide, we’ll show you how to watch the French Open online.
Key Takeaways:
- The French Open will be broadcast on the NBC channel in the U.S., and you can watch it live on the NBC Sports website and mobile app, providing you have a valid cable or satellite subscription.
- You can also sign up for a streaming service that includes the NBC channel, such as fuboTV (which also has a seven-day free trial) or Peacock (which costs $4.99 per month).
- NBC and Peacock are only available in the United States, though, so if you’re outside the country, you’ll need to use a VPN — we recommend ExpressVPN.
Paris is a beautiful city, but watching the French Open matches live at the Stade Roland Garros might not be an option for you. If you’re having to watch from home, we will show you how to stream the Roland Garros matches online for free — and from anywhere with a VPN.
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NBC is broadcasting the French Open, and you can tune in to it online via Peacock or the NBC Sports website or mobile app. NBC and Peacock are available only in the U.S., though, so you’ll need to use a VPN to access it elsewhere.
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To watch the French Open on Amazon Prime you’ll need to add Eurosport to your Prime subscription. However, it’s only available in Europe.
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The only way to watch the French Open for free online is by signing up to a streaming service that offers a free trial, such as fuboTV.
How to Watch the French Open Online
U.S. audiences can stream the French Open live on the NBCSports.com website or the NBC Sports app, but you will need a cable or satellite subscription to gain access. If you’re in another country, there may be similar alternatives, such as ITV Hub for the U.K. broadcast.
If you don’t have a valid TV provider subscription, then you can sign up for a streaming service that includes the NBC channel, such as fuboTV, Peacock TV, YouTube TV or Sling TV. fuboTV also includes the Tennis Channel, which will also show the French Open.
The French Open is available on the NBC channel, NBC Sports website and its mobile app, as well as via some live streaming services.
How to Stream the French Open Online for Free
There are a few streaming sites that include the NBC channel, like Peacock TV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV. However, these services do not offer any free trials. At the time of writing, fuboTV has a seven-day free trial and includes NBC in its bundle.
Watch the French Open From Anywhere With a VPN
Whichever way you choose to watch the French Open live stream, you’ll need to be in the country where it’s available. For instance, the NBC channel is only available in the U.S. The same goes for certain streaming services, such as YouTube TV.
To bypass the geoblocks, you’ll need to use a VPN and get a U.S. IP address.
In this section, we’ll show you how to connect to a U.S. VPN server and watch the French Open by using a VPN. We’ll use our top recommended VPN, ExpressVPN.
- Sign Up for a VPN
Sign up for a VPN service — we recommend ExpressVPN. Install it on your device, whether that be a desktop computer or mobile device.
- Connect to a U.S. Server
Find and connect to a server in the United States.
- Sign Up for a fuboTV Free Trial
Go to the fuboTV website and click “start free trial.”
- Create Your fuboTV Account
Enter your details to create a fuboTV account and then click “continue.”
- Choose a Plan
Choose which plan you want (the Latino plan does not include a free trial) and click “continue.”
- Choose Your Billing Frequency
Choose whether you want to pay monthly or quarterly.
- Complete the Purchase
Enter your credit card details and click “submit.” Note that you will be charged the monthly rate if you do not cancel your free trial.
- Choose if You Want to Buy Any Add-Ons
fuboTV offers plenty of add-ons. Click “skip, I’ll do this later” if you don’t want any.
- Set Up Your Profile
Click on the “my profile” icon and go through the setup to add favorite channels, etc. When you’re done, click “continue.”
- Search for NBC
Once you’ve set up your profile, you’ll be taken to the main screen. You can use the search bar to search for the NBC channel. Once you’ve found it, click on it to start streaming.
If you want to use the VPN for free, too, then you can use the money-back guarantee. Most VPNs offer a 30-day refund period that you can use like a free trial. Just remember to cancel your subscription and ask for a refund before the time is up.
Best VPNs for Watching the French Open
To get the best streaming experience online, you need an ace VPN with fast speeds to match. A server network that has multiple U.S. locations is also a must. The following VPNs have what it takes to bypass regional restrictions easily, while also providing a smooth stream.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has the fastest speeds and plenty of U.S. servers available.
Pros:
- Fast connection speeds
- Plenty of U.S. servers
- Easy to use
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming, as it’s capable of getting past NBC geoblocks with ease. Plus, it has some of the fastest speeds of all the VPNs we’ve tested, so you won’t suffer from any buffering when you’re watching tennis.
It can be installed on multiple device types, so you can stream the latest game at home or on the go. Plus, ExpressVPN has decent server coverage, and with 24 server locations in the U.S., it won’t be hard to find a server that works.
However, ExpressVPN is on the expensive side. If you opt for a long-term plan, though, this will bring the price down. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you want to know more about the service, then read our ExpressVPN review.
ExpressVPN Plans
- : Unlimited GB
- : 5
- :
2. NordVPN
NordVPN bypasses geoblocks easily and has enough U.S. server locations for NBC.
Pros:
- Excellent security features
- Great U.S. server spread
- Affordable long-term plan
Cons:
- Short-term plan is expensive
NordVPN is also a great VPN provider that is every bit as fast as ExpressVPN, thanks to its NordLynx protocol, NordVPN’s own take on WireGuard. NordVPN has no problem getting past NBC’s geoblocks (or any other online streaming service) and there are 15 server locations in the U.S. to access the French Open.
NordVPN is expensive on the monthly plan, but its long-term plan will bring the price down considerably, making it a more affordable VPN. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you want to know more, read our NordVPN review.
NordVPN
- : Unlimited GB
- : 6
- :
3. Surfshark
Surfshark is a cheap VPN that still has what it takes to stream the French Open online.
Pros:
- U.S. server locations
- Long-term affordability
- Unlimited devices
Cons:
- Established in 2018
Surfshark joined the VPN industry in 2018 and has built a strong server spread of over 3,200 servers in 65 countries, including plenty in the United States. Plus, Surfshark’s fast streaming speeds and ability to get past NBC’s regional blocks make it a good choice for streaming the French Open.
Although Surfshark is the cheaper VPN of the three, it still has great security and privacy features, including features like CleanWeb. Plus, Surfshark lets you connect an unlimited number of devices at once, making it a good choice for a large family. Like our other picks, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can read more in our Surfshark review.
Surfshark Plans
- : Unlimited GB bandwidth,
Unlimited devices - : Unlimited GB
- : Unlimited
- :
Final Thoughts: Watch French Open Tennis Matches Online
If you want to watch the French Open online, there are a few ways you can do it. You can watch it on the NBC Sports website or app, though you need a valid cable or satellite subscription. A few live streaming services also include the NBC channel and some have a free trial available, with fuboTV being one of them.
If you want to watch Grand Slam matches on NBC from outside the U.S., though, you will need to use a VPN to connect to a U.S. server. We recommend using ExpressVPN. It’s a top-quality VPN that has fast speeds and a great streaming experience. Plus, with its 30-day money-back guarantee, there’s nothing to lose.
For all the sports fans out there, what method are you using to watch the French Open? Which streaming site will you use? Have you used a VPN before to access a streaming service? Tell us in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading.