10 Best Free Sports Streaming Sites: Watch Live Sports in 2024
Finding legal free sports streaming sites is difficult, as they often show geo-blocked content and violate copyright agreements. Others have annoying pop-up ads that interrupt watch sessions and could infect your device when clicked.
Sports streaming sites like ESPN and Pluto TV are free but geo-restricted to specific countries. You could theoretically use a VPN to unblock these platforms, but please be warned that this might break terms of service and violate copyright agreements.
After testing 25 top names in the industry, ExpressVPN is the #1 choice for streaming on free sports sites. It provides top privacy and security features, and its proprietary Lightway protocol guarantees lightning-fast speeds. You can try ExpressVPN confidently as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Important! Faking your location with a VPN to unblock free sports streaming sites that don’t work in your region could violate copyrights and terms of service. I don’t condone using a VPN to break any laws.
3 Easy Steps to Stream Sports on Free Sites Safely
- Get a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN because it’s the most well-rounded VPN in terms of speed, server coverage, security, and privacy.
- Connect to a server. Pick a local server from the list, or let the VPN find one for you automatically. This will change your IP address and encrypt your traffic.
- That’s it! You can now visit or sign in to your free sports streaming platform and start watching your favorite games.
Why Do I Need a VPN to Watch on Free Sports Streaming Sites?
A VPN encrypts your connection and routes it through a virtual server, changing your IP address. Here’s why you need a VPN to watch content on free sports streaming sites:
- Blocks intrusive ads — if the VPN has a built-in ad blocker that identifies and blocks ads before they load.
- Restricted networks — school and work networks often block media sites to prevent distractions. A VPN changes your IP address and lets you stream despite restrictions.
- Throttles — can cap your speeds for specific activities like streaming. With a VPN, you don’t need to worry about third parties throttling your connections.
- Security and privacy — are necessary, particularly on unsafe public WiFi. A VPN hides you from snoopers, ensuring secure sports streaming.
The Best Free Sports Streaming Sites in 2024
ESPN
As one of the biggest names in cable sports, ESPN lets you watch many free live streams and replays. It includes channels like ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+ that cover various sports, such as football, basketball, baseball, college sports, soccer, tennis, and golf.
You must sign in with your TV provider to stream most of the free content. This applies to ‘Event Replays’ too. On its home screen, you’ll find some videos tagged with ‘ESPN+’ — these streams are exclusive for ESPN+ subscribers. You can stream free content on ESPN through this link.
Fox Sports
On Fox Sports, you can watch the NBA, NCAA Basketball, NASCAR, and soccer leagues. Most of the content comprises 2-minute replays of high-stake moments in games. The ‘Live Now’ section has live streams of NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NHL, and more.
You don’t need to sign up to stream on FOX. The platform is available in the US, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore, but the available content can vary. While streaming the NASCAR Cup series, my colleague got an initial 30-second ad, followed by ads every 10 to 15 minutes.
BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer features football, Formula 1, boxing, cricket, rugby, golf, tennis, and athletics, covering events like the UEFA Nations League, Davis Cup, and the PGA Championship. It’s only available in the UK and requires a valid TV license. Simply sign in and start streaming.
BBC iPlayer doesn’t have ads and is free. Besides live streams, you can watch match highlights, short sports documentaries, and post-match discussions with insightful commentary. iPlayer works on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, smart TVs, and more.
TheTVApp
I’m a fan of TheTVApp’s minimalist user interface, which sorts content into live TV channels and sports leagues like the NBA, NHL, and college basketball. It’s completely free, and you don’t need to sign in or sign up. But, some channels are geo-restricted to specific countries.
There aren’t any pop-up ads on TheTVApp, which is surprising for a third-party streaming site. The only ads I saw were during streams, but those are standard in live TV. Right next to the player is the hourly TV schedule so that you can see what programs are up next.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV’s dedicated ‘Sports’ section includes live and on-demand content. Channels like CBS Sports and Fox Sports include post-match analysis and live commentary, with shows like First Things First. On live TV, you can stream MLB games, Super Bowl recaps, GLORY kickboxing, and more without signing up.
Due to copyright agreements, Pluto is available in 25 locations, including the US, UK, and Canada. Since it’s free, you’ll get ads while streaming live and on-demand content. Typically, a 30-minute show will have 4 commercial breaks, with ads ranging from 20 seconds to 1 minute.
FuboTV
FuboTV isn’t entirely free but offers a 7-day free trial. Its channel line-up spans 140 networks, like FOX, ESPN, and NFL, with major sports like football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and soccer. Niche sports like rugby, motorsports, and cycling also find a home here.
You must sign up and enter your payment details for the free trial. Unless canceled, FuboTV will automatically upgrade you to the paid plan. Be prepared for in-stream ads during live events and some on-demand content. FuboTV is only available in the US, Canada, and Spain.
FootyBite
FootyBite lets you catch up on recent football games you’ve missed. It aggregates links from various sources. Just choose a sport and click ‘Yesterday’ to watch match highlights. The ‘Today’ tab has live streams, while ‘Tomorrow’ includes future match schedules.
Unlike other free sports streaming sites, FootyBite can be a hassle to use. Clicking ‘Highlights’ takes you to an external HTML player where you can stream. There aren’t any annoying pop-up ads, but the video quality isn’t too good, even at 720p.
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is only available in the US and requires a valid TV provider. Categories like the UEFA Champions League, NCAA, NBA, and NHL require a Paramount+ subscription. But you can watch match highlights, news, and analysis for free on ‘Sports HQ Live’ without signing in.
With the free version, you can livestream some college sports depending on scheduling and rights. While CBS Sports doesn’t have a standalone subscription model, it partners with Paramount+, YouTube TV, and FuboTV to share its channel lineup.
TubiTV
In partnership with FOX Sports, Tubi’s ‘Sports on Tubi’ is US-exclusive and features 10 live channels covering professional football, baseball, soccer, and collegiate sports from the ACC and Pac-12 Conferences. This service also offers nearly 700 hours of FOX Sports VOD content.
Without signing in, you can watch Tubi on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Android, and more. Click ‘Live TV,’ ‘Sports on Tubi,’ and scroll through the channel list. Each channel includes a program schedule. During streams, you’ll get up to 2-minute ads every 15 minutes.
Stream2Watch
Like FootyBite, Stream2Watch is a content aggregator that pulls links from various sources. It has sports content from ESPN, CBS Sports, FS1, NFL, TSN, and the SEC Network. Click a sport or choose a channel from the ‘TV Channels’ tab and start streaming.
Stream2Watch has many intrusive pop-up ads. You’ll be redirected to external links after clicking the Play button and will have to close them. I suggest using a top-rated VPN in 2024 to protect your streaming experience from potential malware attacks.
The Best VPNs to Watch Sports on Free Streaming Sites
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN to Watch Content on Free Sports Streaming Sites
Key Features:
- 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, including 20+ locations in the US
- Ensures secure streaming with private DNS, TrustedServer technology, military-grade encryption, and Threat Manager
- Lets you stream on up to 8 devices simultaneously
- Offers fast customer support via 24/7 live chat, email, and an online knowledge base
- Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee
ExpressVPN is the best overall VPN to stream legal free sports content. Its proprietary Lightway protocol is the fastest in the industry and guarantees lag-free live streams. It also protects you with top-notch security and privacy features against malicious ads.
In my tests, ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol maintained near-baseline speeds on nearby servers. Distant US servers yielded 6% drops from the 100Mbps baseline — that’s insignificant, considering other VPNs dip speeds by over 40% on faraway servers. Lightway’s lean codebase reduces packet loss and ensures efficient data transfers.
With 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, ExpressVPN provides the best global coverage to stream locally available free sports content. It regularly refreshes its IP addresses to stay up-to-date with network blocks at school or work that typically block media traffic.
The only drawback of ExpressVPN is its premium price. However, it provides far more value than other VPNs. Besides being the fastest VPN, its powerful obfuscated servers work even in China. Plus, the Threat Manager blocks trackers and malicious ads on free streaming sites.
You can get a 49% discount with ExpressVPN’s 1-year + 3 months plan and try it confidently, as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. I submitted my refund request via live chat and was reimbursed within 3 days — the agent didn’t ask any questions.
ExpressVPN works with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Nvidia Shield, Xiaomi Mi Box, Google Chromecast, Roku, smart TVs, routers, and more.
2024 Update! ExpressVPN has dropped prices for a limited time to a crazy $6.67 per month for the 1-year plan + 3 months free (you can save up to 49%)! This is a limited offer so be sure to grab it now before it's gone. See more information on this offer here.
2. CyberGhost — Optimized Servers Ensure Lag-Free Streams on Free Sports Streaming Sites
Key Features:
- Has 11,800+ servers in 100 countries, with over 2,000 in 11 US locations
- Offers built-in leak protection, a kill switch, an ad blocker, and NoSpy servers
- Allows streaming on up to 7 devices simultaneously
- Support options include 24/7 live chat, email, and a detailed knowledge base
- Try it risk-free with its 45-day money-back guarantee
CyberGhost’s streaming servers guarantee lag-free streams. Each server is built to work with a specific platform in a particular country. While free sites like Pluto TV and Fubo aren’t on the list, freemium sites like BBC iPlayer and YouTube TV have their optimized servers.
Its optimized servers were consistently faster than regular ones, as their larger bandwidth supports data-intensive tasks like streaming. However, distant standard servers in Canada averaged 85Mbps, enough to stream UHD content on multiple devices simultaneously.
Unlike ExpressVPN, CyberGhost’s browser extensions are just proxies without full VPN functionality. This isn’t a big deal, as it takes less than 5 seconds to use the main app and encrypt your device. Plus, protecting your entire device is better than just protecting your browser traffic.
I recommend CyberGhost’s 2-year + 4 months plan due to its 84% discount. You can try it risk-free with its 45-day money-back guarantee. I got my refund in 5 working days after requesting it via live chat support — the entire process took 7 minutes at most.
CyberGhost works with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi, Chrome, Firefox, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku, smart TVs, routers, and more.
2024 Update! You can subscribe to CyberGhost for as low as $2.03 per month + get an extra 4 months free with the 2-year plan (save up to 84%)! This is a limited offer so grab it now before it's gone. See more information on this offer here.
3. Private Internet Access — MACE Protects You From Malicious Ads on Free Sports Streaming Sites
Key Features:
- Extensive network of 35,000+ servers in 91 countries and all 50 US states
- Has flexible encryption, RAM-only servers, split tunneling, and a kill switch
- unlimited simultaneous connections for sports streaming on all your devices
- Troubleshoot via live chat, email, or consult its online FAQ guides
- Backs your purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee
PIA’s MACE protects you from malicious pop-up ads on free sports content aggregators. It intercepts domain requests to known ad and tracker domains and prevents them from loading. This improves site load times and prevents accidental clicks that might infect your device.
Having unlimited simultaneous connections is convenient, you don’t have to worry about running out of devices. I used it on 9 devices, but PIA never slowed down or crashed. In contrast, most other VPNs start glitching when used on multiple devices.
Unfortunately, PIA isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN, especially on distant servers. However, you’ll be streaming on local servers anyway. PIA’s nearby servers maintain near-baseline speeds. On distant locations, you can reduce encryption to 128-bit to boost connections.
With its 2-year + 4 months plan at just $2.03/month, PIA is one of the most affordable VPNs. It also provides a 30-day refund window. To get my refund, I had to provide my invoice details, and the funds were credited to my account in a week.
PIA works with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, routers, and more.
2024 Update! You can subscribe to PIA for as low as $2.03 per month + get an extra 4 months free with the 2-year plan (save up to 83%)! This is a limited offer, so grab it now before it's gone! See more information on this offer here!
How I Tested and Ranked the Best VPNs for Free Sports Streaming Sites
To pick the best VPNs for watching content on free sports streaming sites, I had to consider the following aspects:
- Fast speeds — ensure lag-free streams. I ran extensive tests and picked VPNs that maintain near-baseline speeds on nearby servers.
- Server coverage — gives you the freedom to enjoy sports content while traveling. The VPNs I selected have extensive networks, with servers in all popular destinations.
- Ease of use — was high on my list because you need a VPN that works on smart TVs, desktops, and mobile and is beginner-friendly.
- Ad and malware blocking — protects you from malware, ads, and trackers on free sports streaming sites. All VPNs on my list have this capability to some extent.
- Money-back guarantee — provides a window for you to try the VPN risk-free. I picked VPNs with at least a 30-day money-back guarantee.
FAQs on VPNs and Free Sports Streaming Sites
Is it legal to stream sports on free sites?
It depends on the content’s source. Most free streaming sites violate copyrights and show unlicensed content. The free sports streaming sites on this list are perfectly legal, though. Some platforms like BBC iPlayer and CBS Sports are geo-restricted to the UK and US, respectively. Streaming content on such platforms from outside can violate terms of service and copyrights.
Is it safe to watch content on free sports streaming sites?
No, unless you’re using a VPN. Here are a few good reasons why you need a VPN to watch content securely on free sports streaming sites. Many free sports streaming sites expose you to malicious ads, trackers, and phishing attempts. You might accidentally click something and infect your device. A VPN with effective ad-blocking can reduce such security risks.
Do free sports streaming sites detect and block VPNs?
Legitimate ones do. Sites like Pluto TV are geo-restricted and oblige with copyright agreements. Many of them block VPNs and known IP addresses associated with them. If you’re in a country where a streaming platform works, use a VPN with obfuscation that hides the fact that you’re using a VPN by disguising your data as regular, non-VPN traffic.
Can I watch sports without signing up on free sports streaming sites?
Yes, platforms like TubiTV, Pluto TV, and Stream2Watch let you stream without signing up or signing in. Others, like BBC iPlayer, require signing in and a valid UK zip code during sign-up. Due to licensing, most free sports streaming sites are geo-restricted to specific locations. Unblocking them with a VPN could infringe copyrights, and I don’t condone it.
Can I use a free VPN to watch sports on free streaming sites?
You can, but it might not work. Free VPNs are easy to detect and block by anti-VPN filters. Instead, you can use a premium VPN like CyberGhost for free for 45 days with its money-back guarantee. Just make sure to ask for your refund before the period expires.
Free VPNs can sell your data to third parties and infect your device. I found a few safe free VPNs, but they’re constrained by data caps, limited bandwidth, and poor network coverage. In general, this makes free VPNs unsuitable for streaming.
Watch Content on Free Sports Streaming Sites With a Top VPN
Finding a legitimate free sports streaming website is overwhelming, with so many options that either don’t work, are unsafe, or infringe copyright. After trying out several options, I picked the best free platforms for legally watching sports. Make sure to use a VPN to protect yourself from malicious ads and potential phishing sites, as free sites can be risky.
Most VPNs can’t protect you from malware on free streaming sites. Others slow down speeds a lot and aren’t suitable for streaming. After extensive testing, ExpressVPN is my top choice for streaming because its Lightway protocol offers blazing-fast speeds. You can try ExpressVPN confidently as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
