To keep up with the increasing popularity of the Paralympic Games, coverage providers are upping their game this year - but what about Peacock TV? This page will tell you how to watch the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 on Peacock.
Peacock TV is NBC’s alternative to cable, giving you free online streaming of some Paralympic events in Tokyo. So if you’re a Tatyana McFadden fan, or want to catch Josh Turek in what could be his last Paralympics, it might be the option for you - but only if you want to watch at the weekend, strangely! So not every event will be on Peacock TV and we’re going to give you a rundown of what to expect.
Keep reading to find out what 2020 Paralympic coverage Peacock TV has to offer and the different subscription plans you might need. If you’re going to be abroad during the Paralympics you’ll want to keep reading too, because we'll explain how to watch Peacock TV from anywhere with a VPN service.
Paralympic 2020 coverage on Peacock TV
The coverage rights to the 2020 Paralympics have been given to NBCNational - owners of Peacock TV - so it was expected that some sporting action would be on its online streaming service. However, the Peacock TV coverage of the Paralympics nowhere near stands up to what you can get with a full cable contract.
Yes, the coverage may be a bit on the light side but Peacock TV will be showing some of Team USA's gold medal chances on the two weekends of the 2020 Paralympics. Thankfully at least, signing up to Peacock TV to watch live Paralympic coverage is absolutely FREE.
The free tier of the service will be showing medal round action from the men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball and women’s sitting volleyball after all three events were won by Team USA in Rio 2016. You’ll also be able to live stream some of the wheelchair rugby and marathon events with Peacock TV.
Outside of the live coverage, you can also watch the Peacock special 'The Olympics & Paralympics Inspirational Moments'.
If the sport you’re looking for isn’t included in this list, or you’re going to be out of the country during the fortnight of Paralympic action, keep reading for more coverage options.
What devices can I watch Peacock's Paralympics coverage on?
Not only is the Peacock TV Paralympic coverage free, but it's compatible with a whole host of devices so you can watch on whatever you have to hand.
Whether you use Safari or Chrome to browse the web, or you're an Android or IOS fan, Peacock TV is compatible with them all. You can stream online with your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV as well as Android TV and Samsung smartphone or tablet.
When it comes to games consoles, PlayStation and Xbox are compatible with Peacock TV, with Amazon Fire TV and Fire Tablets working with the online streaming service too.
For a more extensive list of compatible devices take a look at the list Peacock TV has put together.
Other ways to watch 2020 Paralympic coverage
If you're looking to watch a wider range of events from the Tokyo Paralympics, we've got some more options for you.
NBCNational is providing more Paralympic coverage than ever before, promising 200 hours of TV coverage across NBC, NBCSN, and the Olympic Channel. This is also the place to be if you want to watch the 2020 Paralympic Opening Ceremony. So if you've already got cable, you can watch live action, athlete profiles, and interviews on the NBC channels.
For a more extensive free online live stream, NBColympics.com and the NBC Sports app are streaming 1,000 hours of 2020 Paralympic action. Between all of the live sporting action, you can meet the Paralympians and look back at some of the best Paralympic moments from previous years too.
OTT streaming service, Sling TV, gives you the cable experience without committing to a long contract. You'll need a Sling Blue subscription for $35 a month if you want to stream the Paralympic coverage from NBC and NBCSN. For access to the Olympic channel, it'll be an extra $11 a month for the sports extra package. But at the time of writing this, you can get your first month of Sling Blue for $10, so access to all three channels showing the Paralympics will be just $21.
FuboTV is another cord-cutter streaming service that will give you access to the channels showing Paralympics coverage. You can start a free 7-day trial now but after that, the subscription is a little pricier than other options. To access NBC, NBCSN, and the Olympic channel with FuboTV, it'll cost you $64.99 a month - but you will be able to watch Paralympic coverage without commitment to a cable contract.
We've compared all the best streaming services so you don't have to commit to cable.
What else do I get with Peacock TV?
Peacock TV might not have the most extensive 2020 Paralympic coverage, but it does have a lot of over things going for it.
When you sign up for the free Peacock package, you get access to thousands of hours of TV and movies. That includes Peacock exclusive channels, news, kids shows, and much more. The only (very slight) downside to the impressive FREE online streaming package is the 5-minute ad breaks that you'll have to sit through every hour.
If you upgrade to Peacock Premium you get everything in the free package as well as live sport, including the Premier League and WWE, and even more TV and movie titles. With the $4.99 a month package you'll also get access to Peacock original series and NBC's biggest hits just a day after they air on cable.
The most extensive package Peacock TV offers is Peacock Premium Plus for $9.99 a month. This is the only package that will give you ad-free online streaming, and you'll be able to watch select titles offline too.
Watching 2020 Paralympics on Peacock TV outside the USA
When you're out of the country you may have had some trouble accessing all your usual web pages, including Peacock TV, because a geo-block is in your way. Sometimes places of work and education block certain sites too but don't worry, there's a super simple solution. If you download and install a VPN to your device you can dodge these restrictions and keep watching Peacock TV from outside the US.
A VPN sounds much more technical than it really is. All it does is trick your device into thinking it is in another location by changing your IP address. That way you can access your usual streaming service whilst abroad and it increases the security of your device too.
