How to watch Rio SailGP 2026

Want to watch the Rio SailGP 2026 action from anywhere in the world but don’t know when or where to watch it? Here’s everything you need to know to tune in The race for the $2 million SailGP 2026 prize purse continues this weekend as the circuit heads to South America for the first time this weekend at the Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix.
Taking place on 11–12 April 2026, the SailGP fleet will compete on the iconic and tactically challenging waters of Guanabara Bay. Here is everything you need to know to catch the high-speed foiling action against the spectacular backdrop of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Rio SailGP 2026 Schedule & Times
Racing takes place on Saturday, 11 April and Sunday, 12 April. The broadcast window for both days is:

Local Time (BRT): 15:00 – 16:30
UK Time (BST): 19:00 – 20:30
US East Coast (ET): 14:00 – 15:30
Australia (AEST): 04:00 – 05:30 (Monday morning)

Watch SailGp from anywhere with a NordVPN subscription
Yachting World readers who are overseas when SailGP is taking place can pick u pa Nord VPN subscription and still get all the action. Nord VPN is ranked as the best VPN by our sister publications, TechRadar and Tom’s Guide.

View Deal

SailGP State of Play
The 2026 season is heating up with three different winners in the first three events. Heading into Rio:

Emirates Great Britain leads the standings with 28 points.
BONDS Flying Roos (Australia), co-owned by Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, sit in second with 25 points.
The United States and Team France are tied for third with 20 points.

Team News: Returns and Absences
The fleet continues to feel the ripple effects of the catastrophic collision in Auckland.

France Returns: After missing the Sydney event due to extensive boat damage, the DS Automobiles SailGP Team France is back on the starting line. However, the lineup is reshuffled: New Zealander Liv McKay replaces the injured Manon Audinet as strategist, and legendary sailor Glenn Ashby steps in as wing trimmer for Leigh McMillan.
New Zealand Still Sidelined: Unfortunately, the New Zealand ‘Black Foils’ remain ruled out for Rio as their F50 catamaran was effectively destroyed in the Auckland incident.
Home Heroes: All eyes will be on the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, led by two-time Olympic champion Martine Grael. This is their first time racing on home waters, adding a massive local narrative to the event.

Free SailGP Viewing Options & Geo-Restrictions
SailGP has a strong history of offering free coverage through digital platforms, but this is subject to local broadcast rights.
SailGP App: The official SailGP app (available on Apple and Android) often features live racing and replays. Access to the live feed is typically geo-blocked in territories where exclusive broadcasters (like TNT Sports in the UK or Sky Italia in Italy) have paid for the exclusive live rights.
YouTube & Facebook: Live streaming is commonly available on the official SailGP YouTube and Facebook channels in countries without an exclusive live broadcaster. Countries like the US and Canada have often enjoyed free live streams on YouTube, while countries like the UK might see restrictions due to their paid-for exclusive TV deals.
Free-to-Air Channels: In some territories, SailGP airs on free platforms. For example, in Australia, live races are often available on Kayo Freebies (a free tier of the Kayo Sports streaming service) and sometimes on SBS (which may show highlights or select live races).

Free-to-Air SailGP Broadcasters

New Zealand: TVNZ (Check local listings for highlights and select coverage).
Australia: SBS and SBS On Demand provide free-to-air coverage, including highlights and select live rounds.
Germany: ZDF is the official free-to-air partner. It will broadcast events and highlights, including live coverage of the German event later this season.
USA: CBS (the main network) will broadcast event highlights on key weekends. However, most live daily coverage has moved to the CBS Sports Network (subscription).
Brazil: Globo provides free-to-air coverage, though for some sports properties in 2026, they are splitting the season between free broadcasts on TV Globo and paid coverage on SporTV.
Global: YouTube and Facebook typically offer free live streams in many territories where exclusive broadcast rights do not prohibit it.

Subscription / Pay-TV Broadcasters
United Kingdom: TNT Sports is now the exclusive home of SailGP in the UK, meaning coverage is no longer free-to-air on ITV as it was in previous years.
Australia (Alternative): Fox Sports and Kayo Sports require a subscription, though they offer premium, ad-break-free coverage.
USA (Live): While the main CBS network shows highlights, the live daily racing is primarily on CBS Sports Network.
New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ is a subscription-based service.
Italy & Spain: Both Sky Italia and Movistar are premium pay-TV platforms.
How to watch SailGP from Anywhere Using a VPN
You don’t need to worry about missing any of the high-speed action, even if you’re travelling overseas while the races are taking place.
By using a VPN (or Virtual Private Network), you can avoid the geo-blocking restrictions that might otherwise get in the way of watching your usual streaming services or accessing the free live feeds when you’re in another country.
How a VPN Helps: VPNs have the useful ability to change your IP address, making your laptop, smartphone, or tablet appear to be back home. This means you can tune into the event, even when you’re thousands of miles away from your sitting room. If you are in a country with a restricted feed (like the UK or Italy), connecting to a VPN server in a country that offers a free YouTube stream (such as the US or Canada) can potentially allow you to watch the Grand Final for free.
There are plenty of VPNs out there, but the tech experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide both believe that NordVPN is top of the world rankings, with top-notch streaming and security features and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch SailGp from anywhere with a NordVPN subscription
Yachting World readers who are overseas when SailGP is taking place can pick u pa Nord VPN subscription and still get all the action. Nord VPN is ranked as the best VPN by our sister publications, TechRadar and Tom’s Guide.

View Deal

Final Viewing Tip
Due to the dynamic nature of broadcast agreements, the most definitive source for “How to Watch” in any specific country will always be the official SailGP website’s dedicated ‘How to Watch’ page closer to the event date. This page provides the final, up-to-date listings for every region.

The post How to watch Rio SailGP 2026 appeared first on Yachting World.