More than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations and territories will compete in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, taking place in Birmingham, England, from July 28–August 8, 2022. For host-nation England, world 200-meter champion Dina Asher-Smith and heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson are favorites for medals in athletics, while European 400-meter champion Matthew Hudson-Smith will want to impress running on home soil. Read on to learn how to securely stream all the action this summer.
How to live stream the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony
The 2022 Commonwealth Games 2022 opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 28, 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET. More than 30,000 spectators are expected to fill Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium to welcome the athletes, with millions more tuning in to watch the coverage. English New Wave band Duran Duran is set to perform live, with high-profile guests in attendance including the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.
To live stream securely with a VPN:
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location that matches the broadcaster you want to watch. For example, if you’d like to see the BBC coverage, connect to a server in the UK; for 7plus, connect to a server in Australia; for CBC, connect to a server in Canada.
- Tune in and enjoy!
Watch Commonwealth Games live streams for free
You can securely live stream Commonwealth Games events for free with a VPN using services from around the world. Major broadcasts from Australia (7plus), Canada (CBC), and the UK (BBC and ITV) will all air comprehensive event coverage of more than two dozen sports competitions during the games in July and August. Check the competition schedule to see when events are taking place live.
To securely stream the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a VPN:
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location that matches the broadcaster you want to watch. For example, if you’d like to see the UK coverage, connect to a server in London.
- Check the schedule of a broadcaster you want to watch, e.g. 7plus, to find the events you want to see.
- Tune in and enjoy!
Live stream the Commonwealth Games for free online
BBC iPlayer
Price: Free
Channel: BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC Three
Viewers in the UK can live stream all events shown on BBC through the British broadcaster’s online BBC iPlayer platform. Event coverage typically begins at 8:30 a.m. BST and continues throughout the day.
CBC
Price: Free
Channel: CBC Sports
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is one of Canada’s biggest broadcasters and also has a free web player, CBC Gem, offering live streaming and on-demand news, entertainment, and lots of popular sports like ice hockey and rugby. To watch the 2022 Commonwealth Games, check the schedule to see when events are streaming live across CBC’s six daily streaming feeds available on cbc.ca/sports, CBC Gem, and the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android.
7Plus
Price: Free
The competition will be broadcast on Seven Network in Australia. The best part? It’s completely free! Live stream the 2022 Commonwealth Games through the Australian broadcaster’s free 7plus web platform. You can find the service’s schedule here.
Other ways to live stream the 2022 Commonwealth Games
ESPN has exclusive broadcasting rights for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the United States. A variety of free trials are available through cord-cutting streaming services that carry ESPN and ESPN2, including fuboTV (65 USD/month), Sling TV Orange (35 USD/month and up), and YouTube TV (65 USD/month).
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location in the U.S.
- Go to Sling TV Orange (46 USD/month), YouTube TV (65 USD/month), or DirecTV Stream (75 USD/month) and sign up. All services also offer a free trial.
- Tune in and enjoy!
Sling TV
Price: 35 USD/month
Sling TV is the cheapest option if you want to watch a Commonwealth Games live stream (as well as plenty of other popular sporting events and channels). The basic “Sling Orange” plan includes ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. You may need a U.S. credit card or PayPal to subscribe. A three-day free trial is available through its app.
YouTube TV
Price: 65 USD/month and up
YouTube TV includes all the channels you need to watch the 2022 Commonwealth Games live streams. A five-day free trial is available.
DirecTV Stream
Price: 75 USD/month and up
DirecTV Stream is a popular streaming platform for sports fans, and its “Choice” package includes all ESPN channels streaming the 2022 Commonwealth Games live. A five-day free trial is available. You may need to provide a U.S. ZIP code (e.g., 90210, 10022) and a valid U.S. credit/debit card to subscribe to DirecTV Stream.
2022 Commonwealth Games schedule
| Athletics | July 30–August 7 |
| Swimming | July 29–August 3 |
| Diving | August 4-8 |
| Badminton | July 29–August 8 |
| Basketball | July 29–August 2 |
| Beach volleyball | July 30–August 7 |
| Boxing | July 29–August 7 |
| Cricket | July 29–August 7 |
| Cycling | August 3–7 |
| Cycling (track) | July 29–August 1 |
| Gymnastics | July 29–August 6 |
| Hockey | July 29–August 8 |
| Judo | August 1–3 |
| Lawn bowls | July 29–August 6 |
| Netball | July 29–August 7 |
| Rugby Sevens | July 29–31 |
| Squash | July 29–August 8 |
| Table tennis | July 29–August 8 |
| Triathlon | July 29–31 |
| Weightlifting | July 30–August 4 |
| Wrestling | August 5–6 |
ExpressVPN is a VPN service not intended to be used as a means of copyright circumvention. Please read the ExpressVPN Terms of Service and your content provider’s Terms of Use for more details.
FAQ: 2022 Commonwealth Games
When do the 2022 Commonwealth Games start?
The competition runs for 12 days, starting with the opening ceremony on July 28, 2022, and concluding on August 8, 2022.
How often are the Commonwealth Games held?
Every four years.
Who are the key athletes to follow during the games?
Andre De Grasse (Canada) is arguably his country’s greatest ever sprinter with six Olympic medals (including two golds in the 200m) but his recent form remains questionable. The Canadian will be keen to make his mark at the games.
Jamaica’s strong history on the track will continue as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a former two-time 100m Olympic champion, is still a force to be reckoned with at 35, winning the 100m final at the World Championships earlier in July. Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica) is currently the second-fastest woman in history as well as the reigning back-to-back Olympic 100m and 200m champion.
World record holder in the 100m breaststroke and two-time defending Commonwealth champion (2014 and 2018) Adam Peaty (England) will be keen to make it three in a row (especially after missing the World Aquatic Championships in June with a foot injury).
Following an appeal over his right to represent Northern Ireland (having represented the Republic of Ireland in other competitions), gymnast Rhys McClenaghan will be allowed to compete at the Commonwealth Games. The 23-year-old won gold on the pommel horse in 2018 and is a favorite again this time.
In netball, the dominant Australia and New Zealand teams look like they will medal, but home nation England stole the honors in the gold medal game in 2018, beating Australia 52-51, and will feel confident on home soil.
Women will compete in cricket for the first time in the competition’s history at the 2022 games. The sport itself hasn’t been included in the Commonwealth Games since the men’s event at the 1998 competition held in Kuala Lumpur. The T20 format will be used and the big nations—Australia, Barbados, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka— are all expected to compete for medals.
Will there be any mixed events at the 2022 Commonwealth Games?
There will be 13 mixed events featuring both male and female athletes competing in sports such as athletics, triathlon, swimming, and synchronized diving.
Which countries and territories are competing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games?
– Antigua and Barbuda
– Australia
– Bahamas
– Bangladesh
– Barbados
– Belize
– Bermuda
– Botswana
– British Virgin Islands
– Brunei
– Cameroon
– Canada
– Cayman Islands
– Cook Islands
– Cyprus
– Dominica
– England
– Eswatini
– Falkland Islands
– Fiji
– Ghana
– Gibraltar
– Grenada
– Guernsey
– Guyana
– India
– Isle of Man
– Jamaica
– Jersey
– Kenya
– Kiribati
– Lesotho
– Malawi
– Malaysia
– Maldives
– Malta
– Mauritius
– Montserrat
– Mozambique
– Namibia
– Nauru
– New Zealand
– Nigeria
– Niue
– Norfolk Island
– Northern Ireland
– Pakistan
– Papua New Guinea
– Rwanda
– Samoa
– Scotland
– Seychelles
– Sierra Leone
– Singapore
– Solomon Islands
– South Africa
– Sri Lanka
– St. Helena
– St. Kitts and Nevis
– St. Lucia
– St. Vincent and the Grenadines
– Tanzania
– The Gambia
– Tonga
– Trinidad and Tobago
– Turks and Caicos Islands
– Tuvalu
– Uganda
– Vanuatu
– Wales
– Zambia
What events will take place at the 2022 Commonwealth Games?
– Athletics
– Swimming
– Diving
– Badminton
– Basketball
– Beach Volleyball
– Boxing
– Cricket
– Cycling
– Gymnastics
– Hockey
– Judo
– Lawn bowls
– Netball
– Powerlifting
– Rugby
– Squash
– Table tennis
– Triathlon
– Wrestling
What esports are part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games?
This year’s competition will include a pilot scheme called the Commonwealth Games Esports Championships, allowing gamers from around the world to compete for honors by playing DOTA 2, Rocket League, and eFootball.
