How to watch the first SailGP event of 2026: All the TV & streaming details for the final

Want to watch the opening weekend of SailGP action in Perth 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 begins this weekend at the Oracle Perth SailGP. With the action taking place on the 17–18 January, here is how you can catch every moment of the high-speed foiling action from around the globe.
The racing for the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix takes place this weekend, 17–18 January 2026. But because the event is held in Western Australia, the timings are early for European and American viewers. Is has been standard in SailGP for many seasons Saturdays racing will feature three fleet races between the 13 F50 catamarans.
A further two fleet races will take place on Sunday, followed by the winner-takes-all Event Final, where the top three teams on the leaderboard face off for the trophy.
The broadcast window for racing on Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 January is:
Local Time (AWST): 15:00 – 16:30
UK Time (GMT): 07:00 – 08:30
US East Coast (ET): 02:00 – 03:30
New Zealand (NZDT): 20:00 – 21:30

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
Australia: SBS and SBS On Demand provide free-to-air coverage, including expanded live broadcasts for the Perth and Sydney 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, including this Sunday, 18 January at 3pm ET. 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, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a great deal this Black Friday…

NordVPN Black Friday deal
Yachting World readers can take advantage of an amazing NordVPN deal for SailGP. In a Black Friday promotion, you’ll get up to 77% off two year plans, plus an extra three months thrown in for free.

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 the first SailGP event of 2026: All the TV & streaming details for the final appeared first on Yachting World.