The Tour de France is one of the most watched sporting events in the world, and that's partly because it's brilliant sporting theatre, but also because you can watch it for free in so many countries.
In the modern age of the most popular sporting events disappearing behind the paywalls of the commercial TV companies, it's rare to find an event with such a wide presence across public service broadcasters.
The 2025 Tour de France, though, is going out for free in no fewer than 14 countries. Is yours included? Check out the full list below, along with details on how you can watch your usual Tour de France live streams from anywhere with this exclusive NordVPN deal.
Tour de France free to watch in the UK for the final time
The 2025 Tour de France is free to watch in the UK, through ITV, but that won't be the case from next year. After 40 years on terrestrial television, the Tour de France, will no longer be available to the non-paying viewer from 2026. ITV, which took over the reigns from Channel 4 in 2002, is broadcasting its final Tour this year.
Following the near-total disappearance of sports like golf and cricket from the British public screen, it raises important questions how the sport is supposed to capture its next generation of fans. The matter has even been debated in Parliament.
From 2026, the rights will exclusively lie with TNT Sports and Discovery+ (£30.99 a month) which offers fantastic coverage and does represent value for money for many cycling fans, but perhaps closes the door to a fair few casual viewers.
For one last time, though, the Tour de France is available to watch for free on ITV in 2025.
► All stages live and in full on the ITV 4 TV channel and the ITVX streaming platform (free, registration required).
Watch the Tour de France for free on SBS in Australia
Fans in Australia have it pretty good; after enjoying the whole Giro d'Italia for free, you can now watch the entire Tour de France for free as well through SBS.
► All 21 stages are on the main SBS channel and the easy-to-use streaming platform SBS On Demand (free, registration required).
Europe leads the way
Europe's passion for the Tour remarkable. The Tour de France is available to watch for free not only in France, but also in Spain, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Portugal and across two separate channels in both Switzerland and Belgium. Check out the full list of channels and streams further down the page.
Can I watch the Tour de France for free in the USA?
The USA is one of the countries without a free-to-air broadcast arrangement for the Tour de France. NBC is showing the 2025 Tour de France (available on cable plans), while live streaming is available via Peacock for $7.99 a month.
Watch your free Tour de France coverage from anywhere
Off on your travels this July? Heading somewhere with no free coverage, or without commentary you can understand? A VPN will get you your usual Tour de France coverage wherever your are in the world.
Virtual Private Networks are internet security software that effectively disguise your device's location, meaning you can bypass the geo-restrictions in place on all major streaming platforms. A VPN is a great tool to ensure you don't have to give up your usual viewing option while you're abroad, and it makes your devices far safer too.
NordVPN is the top of the range, according to our colleagues at TechRadar, and we've managed to get you an exclusive deal for the Tour de France.
Just in time for the Tour de France, NordVPN is better value than ever. In this exclusive deal for Cyclingnews readers, you'll not only save over 70% on a two-year plan but also get an extra four months added on for free, plus up to $50/£50 in Amazon gift cards.
To take advantage while it lasts, head to the deal, sign up to a qualifying two-year NordVPN plan, and you'll see the four months added to the discount. Once you've reached the end of the free trial period, after 30 days, your Amazon voucher will land in your inbox.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.
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