The Boston Marathon is scheduled for Monday, April 18, with coverage starting around 7.30am EST (4.30am PST). The 2022 Boston Marathon will be the 126th running of the annual race and will feature elite runners including Kenenisa Bekele, Lawrence Cherono, and Benson Kipruto. While the Boston Marathon will be televised, it won’t be available in every country due to copyright restrictions. If you’re traveling abroad (outside the US), you’ll need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to stream the event.
We’re only recommending official sources for watching the Boston Marathon. That’s because we’ve found unlicensed streams to be too unreliable. Aside from low resolution and lag, many unauthorized streams will be taken offline for violating copyright. If you don’t want to be left without a live stream at the last minute, your best bet is sticking with the official sources listed in this post (all of which allow you to watch in the highest quality).
The Boston Marathon will stream on region-locked platforms. If you’re traveling overseas, you’ll need a VPN to watch via your usual streaming service from back home.
How to watch the Boston Marathon online with a VPN
When you connect to a VPN server in another country, you receive a different IP address. This makes it look like you’re physically located elsewhere, allowing you to bypass geographic restrictions and watch the Boston Marathon as normal.
Here’s how to live stream the Boston Marathon from abroad using a VPN:
- Sign up with a VPN provider. We recommend NordVPN. However, Surfshark and ExpressVPN are fast, reliable, and value-for-money alternatives worth considering.
- Download the appropriate VPN app for your streaming device. Installation shouldn’t take more than a minute. The above VPNs allow multiple simultaneous connections.
- Log in to the VPN app and connect to a server located in the US. This is how you get a US IP address so you can unblock NBC Sports and watch from anywhere.
- Access NBC Sports and select a live stream. This should now play without restriction. If so, you should be all set for watching the Boston Marathon online.
- Content blocked? Clear your cookies before reloading your browser. Failing this, try connecting to another server and repeating the process.
The Boston Marathon will air live. For this reason, you should test your VPN with NBC Sports ahead of the big day. This gives you enough time to troubleshoot any issues with your VPN’s customer support service.
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How to watch the Boston Marathon online in the US
The Boston Marathon will be available to watch on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) as well as the NBC Sports app. You’ll also be able to stream the event on Peacock. If you have a cable TV subscription, there’s no additional charge. Simply sign in to NBC Sports via the website or app (you’ll need to enter your cable TV login details) and you’re all set.
Peacock offers a way to watch cable-free. While this requires a paid subscription, it’s only $4.99 (GBP £3.82) a month (with ads). While there’s an ad-free plan at $9.99 (GBP £7.65) a month, live events such as the Boston Marathon can still have ad breaks. If you’re from the Boston area, keep in mind that there’s also the option of watching on CBS Boston’s WBZ-TV. If you don’t have cable, you can always try to watch this via FuboTV.
However you choose to watch, know that a VPN and US IP address are required to watch NBCSN and Peacock. Your best bet is NordVPN which even comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Where else can I watch the Boston Marathon?
Australia
FloTrack is a track and field streaming service for live streaming the likes of the Boston Marathon. The event will stream on April 18 in Australia at 3:30pm. A monthly subscription costs USD $29.99 (GBP £22.99) a month or $150 annually (this works out at around AUD $40/month or $200/year). If you’re going on vacation (outside Australia), know that the best VPNs for Australia let you continue streaming FloTrack from anywhere in the world.
Canada
This event will also be available to watch in Canada. You’ll find it on TSN. It may be that you already have access to TSN as part of your cable TV package. If so, you need only sign in to access content and stream the Boston Marathon. There’s also the option of purchasing a paid subscription with daily (CAN $7.99), monthly ($19.99), and annual ($199.90) passes available. Due to TSN only being available in Canada, a VPN and Canadian IP address is required to stream its content from abroad.
Europe
If you’re in Europe, you may be able to watch the Boston Marathon online on Discovery+ which has recently absorbed Eurosport Player. It’s available in several European countries including Denmark, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A monthly subscription in the UK costs GBP £6.99 a month or £59.99 a year (you’ll want the Entertainment and Sport package). However, there’s no free trial available. Discovery+ content is region-locked in some countries but can be accessed with the help of a VPN.
What should I know about the Boston Marathon?
The Boston Marathon is an annual race traditionally held on Patriots’ Day. Established in 1897, it’s the world’s oldest annual marathon and is one of six World Marathon Majors (along with Berlin, Chicago, London, New York, and Tokyo). While it first started with as little as 15 participants, it now attracts an average of 30,000 registered participants each year, alongside some 500,000 spectators. The course runs 26 miles through several cities and towns in greater Boston, finishing at Copley Square in the center of Boston.
Boston Marathon 2022 starting times
- Wheelchair Men: 9:02am
- Wheelchair Women: 9:05am
- Handcycle & Duo Participants: 9:30am
- Professional Men: 9:37am
- Professional Women: 9:45am
- Para Athletics Divisions: 9:50am
- Rolling Start for All Participants: 10:00am
