How to watch Miss Universe 2021 online from anywhere

The 2021 Miss Universe pageant will be held in Eilat, Israel on December 12. The event is scheduled to get underway at 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT / 02:00 IST. Luckily, most of the contestants arrived in the country before its borders closed, so the show should be able to proceed without too many issues (although France’s representative has been diagnosed with Covid already and may not be able to compete). Take a look below for details on how you can stream Miss Universe live online.

Before we begin, we’d like to advise against using third-party streams. These tend to have laggy, low-resolution video, and can’t be counted on to remain online until the event ends. Further, with official broadcasters all around the world (some of which are free), there’s really no need to resort to shady streams.

The Miss Universe contest will be shown on geo-blocked services. If you’re traveling and looking to watch on your usual streaming platforms, you’ll likely need a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

How to watch Miss Universe 2021 online from abroad

VPNs help improve your online privacy by encrypting your data and hiding your true location. They can also make it seem like you never left your home country, though, which is great for streaming while on vacation.

Here’s how to watch Miss Universe 2021 online from anywhere:

1. The first step is to choose a reputable VPN. We highly recommend NordVPN although Surfshark and ExpressVPN are two reliable and versatile alternatives.
2. Next, download and install the app onto whichever device you use for streaming. It’s fine if there are a few since most providers let you connect around five devices at a time.
3. Open the VPN app and choose a server in your home country. This will get you a local IP address and prevent your usual service providers from realizing you ever left.
4. Finally, visit your local Miss Universe broadcaster and try watching something. Your video should begin right away without any errors. If not, clearing your cookies and refreshing the page should fix the most common problems.

This event will be broadcast live. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that your VPN works as expected ahead of time. After all, it’d be a shame to miss out because of last-minute technical trouble. The providers mentioned above all offer 24/7 live chat so getting help is easy.

Where to watch Miss Universe for free on US TV

The full three-hour Miss Universe event will be shown live on FOX and Telemundo. This is good news because it gives fans plenty of ways to watch. You could sign in with your cable TV provider, for instance, in order to watch at no added cost.

If you’d like to stream Miss Universe online without cable, you can log in with Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, or Vidgo. All but Sling TV include a free trial period, making it easy to stream Miss Universe for free; just remember to cancel in time so you aren’t charged. Additionally, the preliminary event is usually available for free on the Miss Universe YouTube channel.

FOX is geo-blocked, so you won’t usually be able to watch from outside of the US. However, you can bypass this restriction using a VPN. NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can try it risk-free before you commit.

Where else can I watch Miss Universe 2021 online?

Unfortunately, despite being a global competition, details around international broadcasters are extremely hard to find. As yet, there’s only one confirmed network showing this contest outside of the US, and we have all of the details below:

Canada

Just like in the US, Miss Universe will be on FOX. Unfortunately though, there’s no way to stream this channel online unless you have cable TV. If you do, you can simply sign into your provider’s website or app (such as Shaw’s BlueCurve) to watch at no added cost.

You’ll need a Canadian IP address to access your cable provider’s streaming service. Luckily, you can get one in seconds with a VPN.

How is Miss Universe judged?

It might surprise you to learn that the Miss Universe scoring system is not publicly available. All we really know is that entrants are judged using one-on-one interviews, a swimsuit competition, and an evening gown competition. The 20 or so women who score highest on average across all three of these categories move on to the finals.

You’ll probably recognize this part of the competition. It’s when contestants are asked a question (usually about society or culture) and must give a short speech in response. As you might expect, this can be a nerve-wracking experience, but staying cool under pressure is a must for those that want to win.

Who are the 2021 Miss Universe contestants?

This year, there’ll be at least 80 candidates competing in the Miss Universe competition. There were originally 81, but France’s entrant, Clémence Botino was forced to self-isolate after a positive Covid-19 test and her participation is still uncertain. Steve Harvey will be returning as the event’s host once again. Here’s a quick rundown of each Miss Universe entrant: