In Italy, Rai’s main channels stream free on RaiPlay, and Mediaset’s do the same on Mediaset Infinity. From the US, the official way to get Italian TV is a paid add-on. It offers an international selection of shows, while the live channels families watch in Rome or Naples are available only in Italy.
The free apps are still there, but they check where you’re connecting from. A US IP address triggers a region message, even on a show that costs nothing in Italy. A VPN connected to an Italian server changes the IP address those services see, so the live channels and replays become available.
Whether that suits you better than a US subscription depends on what you want to watch.
Stream Italian TV in the US: Quick Guide
- Subscribe to NordVPN and install it on your computer, phone, or TV.
- Select Italy in the server list and connect.
- Launch RaiPlay, Mediaset Infinity, or La7, and register for free if the service requires it.
- Start live TV or a replay. If you still see a region error, delete the site’s cookies and connect to a different Italian city.
How to Stream Italian TV in the USA With a VPN
The setup takes a few minutes, and you only do it once. We used NordVPN for the steps, but any VPN that offers Italian servers works the same way.
Step 1: Subscribe to NordVPN and Install the App
Go to NordVPN’s website and choose a plan. The two-year plans cost the least per month, and every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Then install the app on the device you watch on.
NordVPN has apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, smart TVs, and Fire TV. You can also set it up on a router to cover every screen in the house.
Step 2: Choose an Italian Server
Open the app, type Italy into the search bar, and connect. NordVPN connects you to a recommended Italian server, usually in a few seconds.
After that, websites see an Italian IP address instead of your American one, so RaiPlay and Mediaset Infinity treat you as a viewer in Italy.
Step 3: Open an Italian Streaming Service
Mediaset Infinity uses the same IP address check as RaiPlay, so one Italian server covers both. RaiPlay’s live channels, such as Rai 1 and Rai News 24, stream without an account. Its on-demand shows and seven-day replays require a free account, which takes an email address or a Google or Apple login.
Mediaset Infinity also requires a free account, even for live Canale 5, Italia 1, and Rete 4. If a region message appears with the VPN connected, the site probably saved your US location earlier. Clear its cookies, or open it in a private window, and reload.
Free and Paid Italian Streaming Services
A VPN takes care of the location check, but it doesn’t change what a service charges. RaiPlay and Mediaset Infinity work from the US once you connect. La7 is the exception, since its live stream didn’t block us when we watched from outside Italy without a VPN. Its on-demand shows may still be limited to Italy.
The paid ones are a different story, because they’re tied to an Italian subscription:
| Service | Cost in Italy | Account | From the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| RaiPlay | Free | None for live TV; free account for replays | Italian IP address required |
| Mediaset Infinity | Free tier; Infinity+ is paid | Free account | Italian IP address required |
| La7 | Free | None for live TV | Live stream wasn’t blocked outside Italy in our check |
| Sky Go and NOW | Paid | Sky Italia or NOW subscription | Abroad use limited to the EU |
| DAZN Italia | Paid | DAZN Italia subscription | Abroad use limited to the EU |
Sky Italia, NOW, and DAZN Italia follow the EU’s portability rule, which lets Italian subscribers watch while traveling in Europe. The US falls outside it. Sky Go also requires a Sky Italia contract paid from Italy. So unless you already pay for one of them back home, the free services are the realistic target from America.
Italian TV in the USA Without a VPN
If you’d rather pay a US company, Rai Italia is the main legal option. It’s Rai’s international channel, with a schedule of Rai news, dramas, and entertainment built for viewers in the Americas. Fubo sells it as an add-on for about $9 a month.
Il Globo TV, an Italian-language streaming service for the US, bundles Rai Italia with Mediaset Italia, La7 Italia, and Rai News 24 for about $22 a month. Football is easier.
CBS Sports has Serie A’s English-language US rights this season, with most matches on Paramount+, and Telemundo has the Spanish-language coverage. None of that requires a VPN. Be careful with cheap IPTV Italian channel packages, though. Many resell channels without a license, so they can stop working without warning.
Satellite is legal, but it requires a dish and a long contract. The VPN method isn’t limited to the US either, since the same steps work for watching Italian TV abroad in the UK, Canada, or Australia.
Best VPNs to Watch Italian TV From the US in 2026
None of the reputable free VPNs offer an Italian server, so all three of these are paid. They share the basics: servers in Italy, apps for US smart TVs and streaming sticks, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Beyond that, each one fits a different setup at home.
1. NordVPN: Best VPN for Italian TV in the USA
Pros
- Unblocked RaiPlay in our tests
- Servers in three Italian cities
- Apps for smart TVs and Fire TV
- Works on routers for the whole home
- Keeps no logs, confirmed by audits
Con
- Renewal costs more
NordVPN unblocked RaiPlay in our tests, and its Italian servers cover Milan, Rome, and Palermo, more than 60 in all. Its Milan server came within about 6% of our connection speed, which you won’t notice on a Full HD stream.
That’s why we’d install it first for Italian TV in the US. It also unblocked all 14 streaming services in our main test round, so switching back to a US server covers Netflix, Hulu, and Peacock at home. As for price, the Basic plan is about $3.50 a month with the two-year subscription.
NordVPN has no free plan. Still, its 30-day money-back guarantee works much like a NordVPN free trial, so you can watch a month of Italian TV and cancel for a full refund.
2. Proton VPN: Best for Long-Distance Streams From the US
Pros
- Fastest Italian servers in our tests
- Steadier connections across the Atlantic
- Built-in ad and tracker blocking
- Open-source apps
- Swiss privacy protections
Cons
- No Smart DNS for older smart TVs
- Only two Italian cities
Proton VPN had the quickest Italian servers in our tests, losing under 5% of its speed in Milan. It has 92 servers in Italy, split between Milan and Palermo. On top of that, VPN Accelerator, a Proton VPN setting that steadies long-distance connections, helps with a stream that has to cross the Atlantic.
In practice, you get an Italian IP address in a few seconds, and NetShield, its ad blocker, filters out ads and trackers while you browse. Proton VPN publishes its app code, and independent auditors have confirmed it keeps no logs.
VPN Plus costs about $3 a month on the two-year plan, and Proton VPN refunds the full amount within 30 days. If you’re also weighing ExpressVPN, our Proton VPN vs. ExpressVPN comparison sets the two side by side.
3. ExpressVPN: Best for Watching on Several Devices
Pros
- Italian servers in the south as well
- Connects in a second or two
- Up to 14 devices on the top plan
- Browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox
- Simple apps for beginners
Cons
- Little room for custom settings
- Pricier once the first term ends
ExpressVPN’s Italian locations are Milan, Naples, and Cosenza, so a busy server is easy to replace with another Italian city. Its Lightway protocol connected almost instantly in our tests, and the Milan server lost under 7% of its speed.
The apps are also the simplest of the three: search for Italy, connect, and open RaiPlay. That simplicity helps in a household where several people watch Italian TV, because the plans cover 10, 12, or 14 devices. On a work laptop, you can skip the app.
Its VPN extension for Microsoft Edge and the Chrome and Firefox versions change the IP address in the browser alone. The Basic plan is about $3 a month with a two-year subscription.
Conclusion
Free Italian TV in the US depends on one setting: your IP address’s country. Set a VPN to an Italian server, and RaiPlay and Mediaset Infinity work as they do in Italy, with no subscription. A US add-on such as Rai Italia skips the VPN, but you pay monthly for a narrower schedule.
One practical tip: Italy is six hours ahead of New York and nine ahead of Los Angeles, so the evening shows air during the American workday. RaiPlay’s replays cover the past seven days, so you can watch them in the evening instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sky Italia free?
No. Sky Italia is a paid service, and its Sky Go and NOW apps require an Italian subscription. Subscribers can use them while traveling in the EU, but not from the US.
Can you watch Rai Italia in the US without a VPN?
Yes. Rai Italia is Rai's international channel, and US viewers can subscribe through pay-TV add-ons such as Fubo. Its schedule differs from Rai 1, Rai 2, and Rai 3 in Italy.
Does RaiPlay require an account?
No, not for live TV. RaiPlay's live channels stream without signing in, while on-demand shows and replays require a free account created with an email address or a social login.
Can you watch Italian TV on a smart TV in the US?
Yes. RaiPlay and Mediaset Infinity offer smart TV apps, and a VPN installed on the TV, a streaming stick, or the router supplies the Italian IP address they check for.
Can you watch Serie A in the US without a VPN?
Yes. CBS Sports holds the English-language US rights, with most matches streaming on Paramount+, while Telemundo broadcasts Serie A in Spanish across the US.