Where can you watch the 2024 Paris Olympics in Australia?

Bonjour! The 2024 Paris Olympics begin on Saturday the 27th of July 2024. Here in Australia, you'll be able to catch the games live on Channel 9, 9NOW and Stan Sport

Brodie Fogg
Jul 25, 2024
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The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will begin on Saturday the 27th of July when the Opening Ceremony takes place on the Seine River at the heart of the French capital. Beginning at 3:30am AEST (7:30pm in Paris,) Australians will need to be up well before dawn if they want to watch the Opening Ceremony live. 

The early starts don't end there. Compared to the relatively cosy one-hour time difference between Sydney and Tokyo, Paris is a full eight hours behind Sydney time. So catching the games live this year will be a battle fought with sleepy eyes and a belly full of instant coffee. 

Thankfully, there are some flexible options for streaming the Olympic Games this year, whether you want to watch them live or catch up at a more reasonable hour. 

Channel 9, 9NOW and Stan Sport will all offer comprehensive coverage of the games. Each with its own pros and cons. Let's take a look at the options available. 

How (and when) to watch the Olympics opening ceremony in 2024

The Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony livestream will begin in Australia at 3:25 AEST. The broadcast will air on Channel 9, and stream live and on-demand via 9NOW and Stan Sport. 9NOW is a free service but does require viewers to create a login. Stan Sport is a paid subscription service that costs $27 per month at minimum ($12 Stan Basic plan + $15 Stan Sport add-on.) Stan also recently removed its free trial. 

Here's when to wake up for the 2024 Opening Ceremony wherever you are in Australia: 

  • Sydney: 3:30am
  • Brisbane: 3:30am
  • Canberra: 3:30am
  • Perth: 1:30am
  • Darwin: 3:00am
  • Hobart: 3:30am
  • New Zealand: 5:30am

How to live-stream the Paris Olympics online in Australia

Stan Sport for 4K, Channel 9 and 9NOW for free (with ads.)

Stan Sport logo
Stan Basic + Stan Sport$27/mth
pro 4K streaming
pro No ads
pro 4 simultaneous streams
con A bit pricey

Stan subscription required to access the Stan Sport add-on (add $15/mth.)

You've got two options for streaming the 2024 Paris Olympics in Australia: Stan and 9NOW. The major difference is a matter of cost. Stan Sport is a premium sports streaming service that costs at least $27 per month ($12 Stan Basic + $15 Stan Sport add-on) while 9NOW is a completely free digital catch-up service for Channel 9 content that only needs an email address and password to operate. 

Both services will stream the 2024 Paris Olympic Games live and offer on-demand catchup but there are a few key differences. Firstly, 9NOW is ad-supported and is limited to High-Definition streaming. Stan Sport may cost a mint but what you're paying for is 4K streaming, no ads and eight exclusive international channels (France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom.) Handy if you're only interested in following your country's events. In addition to that, there are over 40 dedicated sports channels, replays, highlights and two Stan-exclusive daily shows that offer commentary on the games as they happen. 

Still, if you're a casual viewer of the Olympic games, Channel 9 and 9NOW will still have every event for free. 

Service
Monthly cost
Coverage
View plans
Catch-up service Free
Login required
  • Complete Paris 2024 Olympics coverage
  • HD streaming
  • Ad-supported
  • From $27/mth
    to $37/mth for Premium
  • Complete Paris 2024 Olympics coverage
  • 4K streaming
  • Deals

    Stream for free tonight with these trials

    Looking for something new to stream tonight? These services offer free trials so you won’t pay a cent unless you decide to keep subscribed once your trial’s up.

    Bullhorn

    When do the 2024 Paris Olympic Games begin?

    The 2024 Paris Olympics officially begin on Saturday the 27th of July in Australia (Friday the 26th of July in Paris.) Though there are a few qualifier events for Archery and Rugby in the days leading up, the games officially begin with the Opening Ceremony and the lighting of the Olympic torch in Paris. The opening ceremony begins at 3:30am AEST. The very next day, the games begin. The games will run for 19 days, culminating with the Closing Ceremony on the 11th of August.

    Where are the Paris Olympics being held?

    In Paris, sacre bleu!
    Stade De France

    Yes, shocker, the Paris Olympic games will take place in Paris, mostly. While events will take place across the French capital, Stade de France will be a heavily trafficked venue with key athletics and rugby matches taking place in the iconic stadium. Other tourist hotspots, like the Champ de Mars, will be transformed for some Olympic-grade wrestling with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop (sounds kind of romantic, really.) 

    The only event to take place outside the city of love is the surfing. Not known for their killer sets, the French have given the totally tubular event to Tahiti. 

    We'll be reporting on event scheduling closer to the event but in the meantime, you can find a complete schedule for the 2024 Olympic Games here

    How does Stan Sport compare?


    Stan Sport is one of the few major sports streaming services left in Australia. In a space where Optus once dominated, Stan has slowly grown its portfolio of sports over the last few years to include Super Rugby, the Six Nations Championship, Wimbledon, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europ League, the US Open and, now, the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

    Take a look at the list below to see how Stan Sport stacks up against the likes of Kayo and Paramount Plus. 

    Service
    Monthly cost
    Sports and quality
    Streams
    View plans
    From $25/mth
    to $35/mth for Basic
  • 40+ sports
  • 4K streaming
  • 7-day free trial
  • Up to 2 devices (Basic)
    From $12.99/mth
    also included with Apple One (from $24.95/mth)
  • 1 sport (Major League Soccer)
  • 4K streaming
  • 7-day free trial
  • 6 devices with Family Sharing
    Free
    Digital catch-up service
  • 10+ sports
  • 1080p streaming
  • Unlimited
    From $27/mth
    to $37/mth for Premium
  • 7 sports
  • 4K streaming
  • Up to 4 devices (Premium)
    From $6.99/mth
    to $13.99/mth for Premium
  • 1 sport (A-League Football)
  • 1080p streaming
  • 7-day free trial
  • Up to 4 devices (Premium)
    From $13.99/mth
  • 5 sports
  • 1080p streaming
  • No free trial
  • 2 devices
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    Brodie Fogg
    Written by
    Brodie Fogg is the Australian editorial lead at Reviews.org. He has covered consumer tech, telecommunications, video games, streaming and entertainment for over five years at websites like WhistleOut and Finder and can be found sharing streaming recommendations at 7NEWS every month.

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