Interested in streaming the 2026 Grand National live online? I’ll let you know how to watch the Grand National from anywhere in the world with the help of a VPN.
The 2026 Grand National takes place from Thursday, April 9 to Saturday, April 11. Held at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, the three-day event features some of the best racehorses the UK has to offer. While there are a total of 21 races, the one everyone wants to see is the Randox Grand National Handicap Steeple Chase on April 11. With £1,000,000 of prize money at stake, it’s a race only the best of the best can win. Below, I’ll explain how you can stream every Grand National race live online.
You should note that this post only recommends official Grand National broadcasters. Major sporting events are often available via unofficial streams but I strongly advise against using these. To begin with, the video is often choppy and low-resolution, which isn’t ideal for “blink and you’ll miss it” events like the Grand National. Further, there’s a chance your stream will be taken offline for copyright violation before the race is over. As the Grand National is freely available from official channels, there’s no reason to use unlicensed streams.
Many streaming platforms now use geo-restriction measures to limit their audience to users in a particular country. This means that to watch on your home services while traveling abroad, you’ll need a VPN.
How to live stream the 2026 Grand National abroad with a VPN
Unblocking geo-restricted platforms from abroad is fairly straightforward once you have a VPN. Below, I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step.
Here’s how to watch the Grand National live online from anywhere:
- First, sign up to a suitable VPN service. I recommend NordVPN although Surfshark and ExpressVPN are two excellent, reliable alternatives.
- Download and install the appropriate version of the software for your device.
- Connect to any of your VPN’s British servers to get a UK IP address.
- Try using one of the services mentioned below. Videos should load instantly.
- Didn’t work? Clearing your browser’s cookies and cache, then refreshing the page will fix most issues. Failing this, your VPN’s support may be able to help.
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When trying to watch a live event (like the Grand National), it’s a good idea to test your VPN with the steps above well in advance of the start time. This way, if anything doesn’t work as expected, you’ll still have time to get help from your VPN’s customer support team. This also reduces the risk of you missing part of the broadcast.
How to watch the Grand National for free in the UK
The Grand National is hugely popular in the UK, and as such, has highly sought-after broadcasting rights. For many years the coverage was exclusively available on the BBC and Channel 4. However, in 2026 you can watch the Grand National live and free-of-charge on the UK’s terrestrial service, ITV.
This means that the events will also be shown live on the broadcaster’s streaming platform: ITVX. This service is free to use, although you’ll have to create an account before you can watch anything.
It’s also worth mentioning that due to ITV’s regional restrictions, viewers in Scotland (or those connected to a Scottish VPN server) will have to use STV Player instead. This is functionally identical to ITVX, but requires a separate registration.
Finally, every race will be available live on Racing TV. However, as ITV is showing this event for free, there’s really no advantage to signing up. If you’d like to, however, you can purchase a day pass for £10. A annual plan costs £298 but there’s also the option of paying £29.98 a month for 12 months. Finally, a contract-free one month plan is priced at £39.98.
If you’re traveling abroad at the moment abroad (outside the UK) you can still watch the Grand National by connecting to a VPN. NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee with all of its plans, allowing you to try it completely risk-free. Just cancel within this time period to claim a full refund if you’re unsatisfied.
Complete 2026 Grand National schedule
With 21 races, 12 hours of coverage, and a total of £3,000,000 up for grabs, the 2026 Grand National promises to be a memorable day both for racing fans and the jockeys themselves. Take a look below for the full Grand National schedule:
| Date | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| April 9 | THE BOODLES ANNIVERSARY 4-Y-O JUVENILE HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1)(Grade1) | 1:45 PM BST (5:45 AM PST / 8:45 AM EST) |
| THE WILLIAM HILL MANIFESTO NOVICES' STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1)(Grade1) | 2:20 PM BST (6:20 AM PST / 9:20 AM EST | |
| THE RACING WELFARE BOWL STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 1) (GBB RACE) | 2:55 PM BST (6:55 AM PST / 9:55 AM EST) | |
| THE RANDOX FOXHUNTERS’ OPEN HUNTERS’ STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 2) | 3:30 PM BST (7:30 AM PST / 10:30 AM EST) | |
| THE WILLIAM HILL AINTREE HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 1) | 4:05 PM BST (8:05 AM PST / 11:05 AM EST) | |
| THE CLOSE BROTHERS RED RUM HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (PREM HANDICAP) | 4:40 PM BST (8:40 AM PST / 11:40 AM EST) | |
| THE GOFFS NICKEL COIN MARES’ STANDARD OPEN NATIONAL HUNT FLAT RACE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 2) | 5:15PM BST (9:15 AM PST / 12:15 PM EST) | |
| April 10 | THE WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) | 1:45 PM BST (5:45 AM PST / 8:45 AM EST) |
| THE WILLIAM HILL MILDMAY NOVICES' STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) | 2:20 PM BST (6:20 AM PST / 9:20 AM EST | |
| THE THATPRIZEGUY TOP NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 1) | 2:55 PM BST (6:55 AM PST / 9:55 AM EST) | |
| THE JCB MELLING STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 1) | 3:30 PM BST (7:30 AM PST / 10:30 AM EST) | |
| THE RANDOX TOPHAM HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) | 4:05 PM BST (8:05 AM PST / 11:05 AM EST) | |
| THE ODDSCHECKER SEFTON NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 1) | 4:40 PM BST (8:40 AM PST / 11:40 AM EST) | |
| THE DEBENHAMS HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 2) (CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS’ AND AMATEUR RIDERS’ RACE) | 5:15PM BST (9:15 AM PST / 12:15 PM EST) | |
| April 11 | THE HALLGARTEN AND NOVUM WINES MAGHULL NOVICES' STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) | 12:45 PM BST (4:45 AM PST / 7:45 AM EST) |
| THE WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) | 1:20 PM BST (5:20 AM PST / 8:20 AM EST | |
| THE TURNERS MERSEY NOVICES' HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) | 1:55 PM BST (5:55 AM PST / 8:55 AM EST) | |
| THE WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (REGISTERED AS THE FREEBOOTER HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE) (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) | 2:30 PM BST (6:30 AM PST / 9:30 AM EST) | |
| THE JET2 LIVERPOOL HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1)3m 1/2 | 3:05 PM BST (7:05 AM PST / 10:05 AM EST) | |
| THE RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) | 4:00 PM BST (8:00 AM PST / 11:00 AM EST) | |
| THE WEATHERBYS NHSTALLIONS.CO.UK STANDARD OPEN NATIONAL HUNT FLAT RACE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 2) | 5:00 PM BST (9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST) |
Watch Grand National: FAQs
Who is the favorite to win the 2026 Grand National?
The 2024 winner and 2025 runner-up I Am Maximus, is the bookies favorite to win the Grand National 2026 with odds of 15/2. Grangeclare West, who finished third in 2025, has odds of 10/1, as does Jagwar. Nick Rockett, who won the 2025 Grand National with odds of 33/1, is back to defend his title with improved odds of 16/1.
Can I use a free VPN to watch the Grand National?
Most free VPNs won’t work with ITVX, preventing you from watching the Grand National online from abroad. Even those free VPNs that have servers in the UK tend to offer very few IP addresses. Shared by many users, they’re quickly identified and blacklisted by ITVX.
Besides, free VPNs are far too slow for streaming due to the heavy bandwidth throttling they so often impose. This can result in lag and buffering which may make you miss out on the excitement of the Grand National.
Last but certainly not least, free VPNs may not properly protect your data from threats. Weak encryption and the absence of leak protection as well as heavy data logging can put your security and privacy at risk.
