Regional blackouts, broadcast disputes, international travel — all can get in the way of streaming your favorite live sports. From the NFL and NBA to F1 and cricket, watching global sports can become a far bigger hassle than it needs to be. Not every sport is available to watch in every region and if you've managed to untangle that complex web of rights by memorizing every rule for every sport, then you're truly built diferent.
But for the rest of us, this is where VPNs save the day. VPNs — virtual private networks — allow you to watch live sports securely and safely from anywhere in the world.
While there are lots of options out there to consider, we've sifted through reviews and scoured the fine print so you don't have to. We stacked up five of the most trusted names in VPNs to compare strengths and weaknesses, help you make the right decision for your live viewing needs and ultimately offer up our choice for the best VPN to watch sports.
Best VPN to live stream sports in 2024
NordVPN Review
✅ Pros:
- 6,000+ servers in 60+ countries
- NordLynx protocol
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- No logs privacy policy
- Great speeds
❌ Cons:
- Only six simultaneous connections across devices
- No free trial
NordVPN is constantly ranked as one of the top VPNs for streaming, browsing, and general use — for all the good reasons.
As mentioned above, NordVPN has a huge server network, with over 6000 servers, so you can expect instant connections. Plus, this network is spread across 61 countries, which means you should be able to tune in to live events from anywhere on the planet.
With a NordVPN subscription, you will be to unlock several streaming platforms, which include services popular for sports like YouTube TV, Sling, ESPN, and more. Plus, the VPN offers the NordLynx protocol, which is NordVPN’s custom-made protocol, mostly known for its speed and stability.
Another standout feature of NordVPN is the Smart DNS, which enables you to stream content on platforms, even when the platforms are not compatible with a VPN. The Smart DNS works around the incompatibility and gives you access to your favorite sports.
ExpressVPN Review
✅ Pros:
- 3,000+ servers in 105+ countries
- Custom Lightway protocol
- Media Streamer feature for devices without native VPN support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- No logs privacy policy
❌ Cons:
- Only eight simultaneous connections across devices
- No free trial
Another top VPN that you might have heard of is ExpressVPN, which is also a good option for streaming. Much like NordVPN and other VPNs on this list, ExpressVPN also has a vast server network with over 3,000 servers spanning more than 105 countries.
With such a robust network, you can expect easy access to live sporting events from any location. For instance, you can easily tune in to Wimbledon Live simply by joining a server in the UK.
In addition to this, ExpressVPN is often regarded as one of the fastest VPNs. It also offers ‘Lightway’, which is their custom-made protocol, so you should be able to watch every moment without any drops in the connection. And with the Media Streamer feature, the VPN allows you to stream content on devices that don’t have native VPN support.
As far as the user experience is concerned, ExpressVPN offers an intuitive, user-friendly app that can be easy to understand and use even for beginners.
Surfshark VPN Review
✅ Pros:
- 3,200+ servers in over 100 countries
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Smart DNS feature
- Camouflage and No-Borders mode offer extra security
- Strict no-logs policy to protect browsing history, IP address and more
- 30-day money-back guarantee
❌ Cons:
- No free trial
- No custom-made protocols
If you are looking for a more affordable VPN to watch sporting events, then Surfshark is a good choice.
To start with, Surfshark offers more than 3,200 servers across more than a hundred countries, which means you should be able to get an instant connection and watch regional sports from anywhere.
In addition, Surfshark lets you use VPN on multiple devices, which makes it easier to watch sports on your preferred devices. Plus, Surfshark VPN also offers smart DNS, which makes it easier to use VPN on devices that don’t have VPN support.
Surfshark is also relatively cheaper than most other VPNs, with subscriptions starting from $2.29 per month. Of course, if you decide to go for longer plans, you can qualify for additional discounts.
CyberGhost VPN Review
✅ Pros:
- 9,000+ servers in over 90 countries
- NoSpy servers
- Dedicated servers for streaming
- 45-day money-back guarantee with 24/7 live customer support
❌ Cons:
- Average speed
- No free trial
If you want an affordable VPN with special streaming features, then you should check out CyberGhost VPN.
To start with, CyberGhost has a massive network with over 9,000 servers, so you can bid adieu to network congestion. Plus, this network is spread across 90+ countries, which means you should be able to watch sports content from any region.
Next, we come to CyberGhost’s dedicated servers for streaming. These servers are specially designed for streaming online content, like sports. With these, you can expect faster and more stable connections and convenient access.
CyberGhost is often ranked as one of the top VPNs available, and yet it has affordable plans. Even though, at the time of writing, CyberGhost does not offer a free trial, it does offer a 45-day money-back guarantee, which you can take advantage of.
Private Internet Access VPN Review
✅ Pros:
- 35,000+ servers in 90+ countries
- Strict no-logs policy
- DNS leak protection
- 100% open source
- Advanced split tunneling feature to choose apps to use with VPN
- Hosted in United States
- 30-day money-back guarantee with 24/7 technical support
❌ Cons:
- Speeds
Now, Private Internet Access, better known as PIA, might not be the most heard-of name in the VPN industry, but it does offer loads of features at competitive prices, so you should check it out.
To start with, PIA boasts around 35,000 servers across more than 90 countries, so you should be able to make a quick connection — with the caveat that you must be. Whether its F1 races in Bahrain or Wimbledon events in the UK, you will be able to tune in to any live event.
As far as privacy is concerned, PIA has robust encryption protocols, a strict no-logs policy, and DNS leak protection, so you can expect a safe and private connection while accessing geo-restricted sports content. With split tunneling, you can choose apps to use a VPN with.
As mentioned earlier, PIA offers competitive prices on long-term subscriptions, so if you want an all-year-around plan, this is a good VPN.