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US Open Live Streaming 2026: How to Watch the US Open Free

By Florian Gray
Us Open Live Streaming
© Gizmodo

The final Grand Slam of the season begins on August 30, and what US Open live streaming costs you depends far more on where you are than on what you’re willing to spend. In the United States, every legal option has a price. In Australia, the headline matches are free. That difference is the whole basis of the workaround.

We explain which free channels still show the tournament in 2026, what the paid platforms charge now, and how to open a free US Open live stream from outside its home country. Let’s start immediately.

US Open Live Streaming Guide: Watch US Open Live Stream Tennis for Free in 2026

  1. Download and install a VPN. We recommend NordVPN at $3.49 a month.
  2. Open the VPN and sign in to the app.
  3. Connect to a server in Australia to open 9Now, the only free channel with English commentary. Italy’s SuperTennis is the alternative for those who don’t mind Italian commentary.
  4. Go to the chosen channel and sign in or sign up. Both accounts are free.
  5. Watch the US Open tennis live and enjoy the rest of the Grand Slam.
  6. Optionally, request a refund from NordVPN within 30 days.

Watch the US Open With NordVPN

Where to Watch US Open Live (Free Channels)

In 2026, 3 broadcasters show the US Open at no cost:

  • 9Now (Australia). Full coverage of the tournament in English, streamed free and simulcast from Channel 9, 9Gem, and 9Go. We tested it ourselves, and every session was there. A free account is all it asks for, which makes this the best free option anywhere.
  • SuperTennis (Italy). The Italian federation’s channel airs the best daily matchups free-to-air, live and delayed, and its SuperTenniX platform streams every court free with a registered account. Commentary is Italian only.
  • Joyn (Austria). ProSiebenSat.1 shows 26 matches free, with 2 a day from August 30 through the quarterfinals, one men’s round of 16, one semifinal from each draw, and both finals. PULS 4 simulcasts the biggest ones. German commentary, and Joyn takes no payment details at signup.

New Zealand is no longer on that list. TVNZ dropped out after 2024, and the tournament moved to ESPN on Disney+, which starts at NZ$9.99/mo. If you’re in one of those countries, you’re set. Everyone else meets a block. SBS, 9Now, and 10Play check your location and refuse anything outside Australia.

The same wall you meet when accessing Australian TV overseas. Tennis fans overseas have reported using a VPN to swap their original IP for one in Australia, Italy, or Austria. That opens 9Now, SuperTenniX, or Joyn.

How to Watch the US Open Live on a Free Channel?

If 9Now won’t load in your country, a quality VPN is the next step. Many opt for NordVPN, given its fast speeds, Australian and Italian server locations, and streaming power. NordVPN is our top-ranked paid VPN for 2026. The free part comes from the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Visit NordVPN

The main draw runs from August 30 to September 13, which is 15 days, so you finish the tournament with 15 days left to claim a full refund. The same setup gets you the first Grand Slam of the year on 9Now in January.

➡️ Here’s how that works in practice:

  • Subscribe to NordVPN. The 2-year Basic plan works out to $3.49 a month, and a monthly plan is refundable for the same 30 days.
  • Set up NordVPN on any device. It allows 10 concurrent connections and has apps for streaming hardware.
  • Open the app and connect to a server in Australia, Italy, or Austria, depending on which free channel you want.
  • Register with the channel. 9Now asks for an Australian postcode at sign-up, so use 2000 for Sydney if the form requests one.
  • Once play begins, sit back and start watching.
Nordvpn 9now Unblock Abroad
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Other Channels for US Open Live Streaming

If you’d rather not bother with a VPN, here’s what the official rights holders charge in the biggest markets.

Watch US Open Live in the USA

ESPN has exclusive American rights through 2037, spread across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN Deportes, and the ESPN app. No free channel streams the US Open in the United States, with one exception. ABC shows the men’s final and selected Sunday coverage over the air, which an antenna picks up for nothing.

For everything else, the ESPN app is the cheapest way in:

  • ESPN Select. The former ESPN+ tier, reachable anywhere with a VPN, costs $12.99 a month or $129.99 a year, and includes every court plus qualifying.
  • ESPN Unlimited. Adds the ESPN linear networks without cable at $29.99 a month or $299.99 a year. New for 2026, its RedZone-style whip-around feed hops between all 16 courts during the first week.

Both prices increase on September 17, 4 days after the men’s final, to $13.99 and $31.99. Live TV bundles that include ESPN cost considerably more, since you’re now buying a full channel lineup. Here are the prices:

  • Sling Essentials, $19.99 a month for ESPN and ESPN2
  • Sling Orange, $45.99 a month
  • YouTube TV, $82.99 a month
  • Fubo, from $84.99 a month with regional sports fees
  • Hulu + Live TV, $89.99 a month, bundled with Disney+ and ESPN Select
  • DIRECTV Entertainment, $89.99 a month, ESPN Unlimited included

Peacock doesn’t show the tennis, despite what its name suggests, every June. Its US Open coverage is the golf major on NBC.

Warning: Every option above is limited to the USA. Using them abroad will be impossible unless you connect to a VPN server in the USA.

Streaming the US Open Tennis in Canada

Canadians have TSN in English and RDS in French. If you already pay for TV, the TSN app streams the tournament for free once you sign in with your provider, which is the cheapest option available. Without cable, TSN+ starts at CA$29.99 a month. The one-day pass is gone too.

TSN+ needs a Canadian IP address, so you must be in the country or use a VPN abroad. Tennis has no Canadian equivalent of the free Super Bowl broadcast.

Where to Watch US Open Tennis in the UK

The BBC iPlayer platform shows Wimbledon at no cost, though not the US Open. Prime Video held the British rights until 2023. Sky bought them that year and hasn’t let go, so Sky Sports is the only home for it in the UK and Ireland, with extra matches on Sky Sports+ streams. Without a Sky package, NOW sells access 2 ways:

  • Sports Month Membership at £34.99, cancellable whenever you like
  • Sports Day Membership at £14.99 for 24 hours, useful for a single final

Neither is refundable. Cancelling after the Grand Slam stops the next charge and returns nothing you’ve already paid. Subscribing also needs a UK or Irish payment method. If you’re overseas with an existing subscription, you’ll need a VPN to reach Sky Sports outside the UK.

Unblock Sky Sports With NordVPN

US Open Broadcasters in Other Countries

The USTA sells rights market by market, so the picture changes at every border:

  • Australia (paid). Stan Sport streams every court ad-free as an add-on to a Stan plan.
  • New Zealand. ESPN on Disney+, from NZ$9.99 a month.
  • Europe. Eurosport and HBO Max cover 45 markets in local languages.
  • Germany and Switzerland. Sky Sport. The Austrian free option doesn’t extend across the border.
  • Spain. Movistar Plus+, outside the Eurosport deal.
  • Japan. WOWOW, the tournament’s longest-standing partner since 1992.
  • India and the subcontinent. Star Sports on TV, JioHotstar for streaming.
  • MENA. beIN Sports. Sub-Saharan Africa. SuperSport and DStv.

How to Watch US Open Tennis on All Devices?

The workaround’s strength is its flexibility, so any device works. Here’s how to set up US Open live streaming for free on each platform.

📱 iOS and Android

Phones and tablets take the least setup of any platform here:

  • Subscribe to a VPN. If you haven’t already, get NordVPN.
  • Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
  • Open it and sign in with your email and password.
  • Connect to a server in Australia for 9Now, Italy for SuperTenniX, or Austria for Joyn.
  • Use the channel’s site or app (9Now has apps for iOS and Android) to sign in and watch.

🖥️ Windows and macOS

Computer users, including Linux, have the shortest setup:

  • Get a VPN subscription.
  • Download the setup file for your system.
  • Install the VPN according to the on-screen steps.
  • Launch the app and sign in.
  • Connect to an Australian, Italian, or Austrian server.
  • Go to the free channel, sign in, and watch it.

📺 Android Smart TV

Android TV owners have it easiest. Samsung and LG owners must use Smart DNS or connect through a router instead. For Android TV:

  • Obtain your VPN subscription.
  • Install the VPN app from Google Play.
  • Boot up the app and log in.
  • Get an Australian, Italian, or Austrian IP address.
  • Watch the Grand Slam from start to finish uninterrupted.

🎥 Fire TV and Apple TV

NordVPN has native clients for both platforms, which keeps the setup short:

  • Get a subscription from NordVPN (ExpressVPN is a solid alternative).
  • Install the app from the Amazon Appstore or the Apple App Store.
  • Connect to a server in Australia (9Now), Italy (SuperTenniX), or Austria (Joyn).
  • Visit the free channel and watch the tennis.

Can I Access the US Open Live Stream with a Free VPN?

You can’t, and if you could, we’d suggest it. Australian servers barely appear in free plans. Where they do, the data allowance kills the idea: TunnelBear caps you at 2 GB a month, which won’t cover a single five-set match in HD. Proton VPN, our pick for the strongest free plan, has unlimited data but assigns the server for you, so choosing Australia isn’t possible.

Free providers also throttle streaming, which blocks TV channels and streaming platforms. Without that, watching the US Open on a free channel is impossible. Slow speeds and unstable connections make the experience frustrating. NordVPN costs nothing across the tournament if you claim the refund, and the Grand Slam is short enough to leave plenty of time for it.

Try NordVPN Risk-Free for 30 Days

The US Open Tennis 2026 Schedule

This edition is the longest in the tournament’s history at 22 days, with Fan Week from August 23 and the main draw from August 30. Day sessions begin at 11:00 AM ET on most courts, noon on Arthur Ashe Stadium, and night sessions at 7:00 PM ET. Here’s the current schedule:

  • August 24 to 27, singles qualifying
  • August 25 to 27, Mixed Doubles Championship
  • August 30 to September 1, men’s and women’s singles 1st round
  • September 2 to 3, men’s and women’s singles 2nd round
  • September 4 to 5, men’s and women’s singles 3rd round
  • September 6 to 7, men’s and women’s round of 16
  • September 8 to 9, men’s and women’s quarterfinals
  • September 10, women’s semifinals
  • September 11, men’s semifinals
  • September 12, women’s final
  • September 13, men’s final

The USTA can adjust the order of play as the tournament progresses, and we’ll update this for accuracy.

US Open Live Streaming: Conclusion

Every Grand Slam tests a player’s skill and endurance, and watching the best in the sport at their peak is a joy. New Zealand moved behind a paywall this year, though the other 3 free channels stayed put. 9Now shows the full tournament in English, SuperTenniX covers every court in Italian, and Joyn adds 26 matches in German.

With NordVPN, you can reach 9Now from outside Australia and open SuperTenniX from anywhere. Neither channel charges a cent, and the VPN is reversible for a full month, which makes the setup free in practice. If you’d pay for ESPN, TSN, or Sky Sports, those work perfectly well. How you watch the US Open live is your call.

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Frequently Asked Questions

📡 How to watch US Open without cable?

The ESPN app sells access directly, with the cheaper Select tier covering every court and all of qualifying. An antenna picks up the men's final free on ABC. Outside the US, 9Now in Australia, SuperTennis in Italy, and Joyn in Austria all show matches at no cost.

🔴 How does the US Open VPN work?

It replaces your original IP address with one from the broadcaster's country. The channel reads that address, treats the connection as local, and lets the stream play. Encryption also stops an ISP from throttling video traffic during long matches.

📺 Is the US Open free to watch anywhere?

Yes, in 3 markets. Nine streams the whole tournament free in Australia, Italy's SuperTennis airs the top daily matchups free-to-air, and Austria's Joyn shows 26 matches at no charge. All 3 need a registered account and restrict access to their home country.

▶️ Does TVNZ still show the US Open?

No. New Zealand rights moved to ESPN on Disney+, and TVNZ hasn't broadcast the tournament since 2024. In New Zealand, it now requires a paid subscription, so Australia is the one to pick for English commentary.

⏳ What time do US Open matches start?

Day sessions begin at 11:00 AM ET/8:00 AM PT on most courts and 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Individual match times shift since matches follow one another instead of starting on the clock.