After an unfortunate COVID-related delay last year, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (still officially the 2020 Tokyo Olympics) is finally upon us. The Games start today with the Opening Ceremony happening on Friday, so if you want to watch the Olympics live, now’s the time to sign up for Peacock — and it doesn’t have to cost you a cent. Here’s what you need to know.
The delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics don’t officially kick off until this Friday when the Opening Ceremony takes place, but the Games are beginning a little earlier with softball and football happening Wednesday (today) and Thursday. All of the main Olympic events — that is gymnastics along with track and field — with the exception of men’s basketball can be streamed with Peacock’s free plan, meaning that once you sign up, you can stream the Tokyo Olympics live at no cost. To watch U.S. men’s Olympic basketball, though, you’ll have to sign up for the $5 per month Peacock Premium plan.
Peacock is NBC’s premium streaming service and a great platform for shows, movies, and — of course — sports. Sports is one of NBC’s main attractions, after all, and your Peacock subscription gets you access to everything from golf and Premier League Soccer to the Tokyo Olympics. Peacock is also unique among streaming apps in that it offers a free plan, which you can use to watch the Olympics online live.
Related
Along with the main Olympic events, Peacock features a variety of other related content such as documentaries, series, athlete profiles, Team USA highlights, and other live coverage on its always-on Tokyo NOW channel. This includes specials like Golden: The Journey of USA’s Elite Gymnasts, The ‘96 Effect, and The Greatest Race. There are five Peacock channels in total dedicated to the delayed 2020 Olympic Games.
Peacock’s free plan grants access to thousands of hours of movies and TV at no cost, which is a great way to try out the service (and to watch the Tokyo Olympics live). Peacock Premium lets you enjoy the entire library of content available, from classic shows like The Office to new and exclusive productions, movies, and more, as well as U.S. men’s Olympic basketball. The official Opening Ceremony airs on Friday at 6:55 a.m. ET (3:55 a.m. PT).
