How to live stream March Madness games with a VPN
From the First Four to the Final Four, a VPN helps you bypass local network restrictions—such as at work or school—and watch every March Madness live stream wherever you are. Just follow these steps to get to your one shining moment.
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location that matches the broadcaster you want to watch. For example, American sports fans can connect to a server location in the U.S. to watch every buzzer beater and Cinderella story unfold on YouTube TV.
- Watch out for bracket busters!
Why you need a VPN to watch March Madness
A VPN is like a strong defense in NCAA basketball—but instead of blocking shots on the court, it blocks streaming issues that could make you miss the games. Here’s how a VPN keeps your NCAA Tournament experience running smoothly:
- Bypass streaming restrictions: Is your office or school Wi-Fi network blocking streaming apps, stopping you from watching the day games in the first two rounds of the tournament? A VPN helps you bypass blocks with ease to ensure you can stream every game on any network.
- Avoid ISP throttling: Your internet provider might limit your bandwidth when it detects streaming activity, causing buffering and poor picture quality. VPN encryption masks your online activity, so you can watch every big shot in HD, without interference.
- Secure your personal data: A VPN keeps your private data out of the hands of cybercrooks and snoopers, which is particularly important if you’re streaming March Madness on unsecured public Wi-Fi.
How to watch March Madness for free—without cable
You don’t need cable to live stream the NCAA Tournament online, and with a little luck, you can stream the games for free. All the OTT streaming platforms below carry the four channels showing tournament games and come with a free trial for new or eligible subscribers.
| Service | Channels | Free trial length |
| DirecTV Stream | CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV | 5 days |
| Fubo | CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV | 7 days |
| Hulu + Live TV | CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV | 3 days |
| YouTube TV | CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV | Varies |
ExpressVPN works with all the major sports streaming services showing March Madness, including YouTube TV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV, so you can watch every game securely on the platform of your choosing.
Other ways to watch March Madness in the U.S.
March Madness Live App
Games: All
The official app of the NCAA is streaming every March Madness game live, but you can only access it with a TV provider login. The app is available through all the major cable networks and many of the smaller ones. Alternatively, you can log in with a Sling TV or YouTube TV account, which is more convenient than finding out which games are playing on which channels.
Paramount+
Free Trial: 7 days
Games: All games airing on CBS
Paramount+ is streaming NCAA Tournament games broadcast on CBS, including the Final Four and championship games. You can watch live or catch up with replays at your convenience. Check your local listings to see which games will be on CBS in your area.
Max
Free trial: None
Games: All games airing on TNT, TBS, and TruTV
Max is streaming nearly half of the NCAA Tournament games this year. That means you can live stream every game airing on Turner channels without cable. The Max app is available for most streaming devices—as a standalone subscription or bundled with Hulu and Disney+.
How to watch March Madness in Canada
College basketball fans in Canada can stream every game on the TSN network of channels. The games will be divided between TSN1, TSN2, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5, and some games are only streaming on TSN+. You can subscribe monthly or annually, and there’s an option to bundle your subscription with Crave.
Avoid activity-based ISP throttling and stream March Madness smoothly with the speeds you paid for. All you need to do is connect to an ExpressVPN server in Canada.
How to watch March Madness in the UK
Sky Sports has added college basketball to its sports portfolio, making it easy for Brits to catch all the excitement of March Madness. You can stream the games without a Sky contract via the Now streaming platform with the Sky Sports Pass. It gives you access to all 12 Sky Sports channels and offers daily, monthly, and biannual subscriptions.
How to watch March Madness in Australia
Foxtel subscribers get access to the NCAA Tournament on Fox Sports in Australia. You can also watch every televised game online through Kayo Sports. Not every game will be available in the early rounds, so be sure to check local listings for games and times.
2025 March Madness Schedule
| Events | Dates |
| Selection Sunday | Sunday, March 17, 2025 |
| First Four | March 19-20, 2025 |
| First round | March 21-22, 2025 |
| Second round | March 23-24, 2025 |
| Sweet 16 | March 28-29, 2025 |
| Elite Eight | March 30-31, 2025 |
| Final Four | April 6, 2025 |
| NCAA championship game | April 8, 2025 |
The best VPN for watching March Madness
ExpressVPN has everything you need in a sports streaming VPN, and plenty more besides. With servers spread across 105 countries, you’ll always be able to get a reliable connection wherever you need it. With 10-Gbps capacity throughout, our servers deliver ultra-fast VPN speeds, ensuring smooth, buffer-free streaming—even in 4K. ExpressVPN is compatible with most sports streaming platforms, so you’ll have no problem streaming college basketball securely, wherever you are.
With a single ExpressVPN account, you can connect up to eight devices at once, making it ideal for families of all sizes. Setting it up is quick and easy, even for VPN beginners. Try ExpressVPN risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
FAQ: About watching March Madness online
Can I use a VPN to watch March Madness from another country?
Some users might watch March Madness by connecting to a VPN server in a country other than their own, but doing so may violate copyright or the streaming service’s terms of use. ExpressVPN is a privacy and security tool, and using it to circumvent copyright is against our Terms of Service. We cannot see or control what you do while connected to our VPN, so you are responsible for ensuring that your use complies with all relevant terms and laws.
Can I use a free VPN to watch March Madness?
Free VPNs can’t usually access streaming services and have limited server availability, making it difficult to find a suitable connection. They often provide slower speeds and limit your bandwidth, making them unsuitable for streaming. In contrast, ExpressVPN offers high-speed servers across 105 countries and is compatible with major streaming platforms. With a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it completely risk-free.
Where can I watch March Madness games?
In the U.S., March Madness is on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV. If you don’t have cable, you can subscribe to a cord-cutting service that carries the channels, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Fubo, and watch online. If you have cable, you can watch every game on the March Madness Live app at no extra cost. Outside the U.S., March Madness is on TSN and TSN+ (Canada), Now and Sky Sports (UK), and Foxtel and Kayo Sports (Australia).
Can I watch March Madness for free?
If you have a TV aerial, you can watch approximately half of the March Madness games for free on CBS. If you’re looking to watch the games for free online, you’ll need to get free trials for streaming platforms that carry CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo. These options are only available in the U.S., but Americans traveling abroad can connect to an ExpressVPN server in the U.S. and stream the games as normal.
Is there a streaming service for NCAA basketball?
The March Madness Live app is the official streaming app of the NCAA for March Madness. It’s only available with a cable TV login or via a YouTube TV or Sling TV account. If you don’t have cable, you can stream all the games on DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV.
Does HBO Max have March Madness?
Yes, you can live stream every NCAA Tournament game on TBS, TNT, and TruTV via Max. This includes about half of the games in the first 2 rounds, Sweet 16, and Elite 8. The Final Four and championship games are available on Paramount+ and other streaming platforms that carry CBS.
How can I watch March Madness in Europe?
ESPN owns the international rights for NCAA sports. Your best option is to find out what platform in your region has ESPN, and that should get you access. For example, in the UK, Sky has a deal with ESPN to show games on Sky Sports and its streaming platform Now.
