How to watch 2024 NCAA March Madness outside US

Whether you've been following teams all season or just along for the March Madness run, you risk missing out on NCAA Final Fours and Championship Games just because you’re outside the US. YouTube TV, ESPN+ or Hulu subscriptions alone won’t bring you 2024 NCAA college basketball games. Streaming platforms (just as official NCAA cable channels) use geo-blocking due to broadcasting rights, restricting content to the US region.

Geo-restrictions can ruin NCAA March Madness for you unless you use a silver bullet: virtual private network. A robust VPN will disguise your location and bypass frustrating geo-blocks bringing you every  2024  March Madness game no matter where you are. However, not all VPNs are good enough to do the job and also protect your privacy.

We compared and tested not just top 24 VPNs on the market, but also 10 streaming services where you can catch 2024 NCAA March Madness games. Read on for everything you need to know to see your favorite schools battle it out on the basketball court from anywhere.

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Watch 2024 NCAA Men’s March Madness live online

Why use VPN to watch 2024 NCAA March Madness live from anywhere

VPN is a must for watching March Madness from anywhere because of geo-blocking. Official NCAA broadcasters (CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV) use your IP to determine your location. The moment they see you don’t have an American IP address, you’ll get an instant block and your attempt pretty much ends there. A robust VPN conceals your location unlocking March Madness games and tricking broadcasters into believing you are in the States.

A subscription to a streaming service that airs college basketball without VPN is not enough. Streaming services (like Max, Paramount+, YouTube TV, or SlingTV) restrict access to March Madness games too. You just won’t access NCAA basketball games unless the streaming platform believes you are located in the right countries (US, Canada, UK or Australia). Besides, only the US audience gets all college basketball games, while official broadcasters in Canada, UK and Australia air a limited number of  March Madness games.

VPN encrypts your data and routes your internet traffic through a server you’ve selected. If you select a US server, it’d appear as if you were somewhere in the US and you get to watch absolutely all NCAA college basketball’s games live from anywhere.

Best VPNs to watch 2024 March Madness

Our experts tested 24 services to shortlist top VPNs to watch 2024 NCAA March Madness. In testing them, we picked VPNs that deliver smooth, fast connections for bufferless HD streaming combined with a rich selection of US-based servers. Also, we scrupulously checked VPNs privacy and security toolkits to ensure your data stays protected while streaming. Lastly, our team paid no less attention to the device compatibility they offer to enable you watch 2024 NCAA March Madness safely on smart TVs and game consoles.

Here are our expert picks for 2024 NCAA March Madness:

1. NordVPN - best overall 2024 March Madness VPN. NordVPN offers 7000+ servers in 118 countries, 1,970 out of them in the USA. It works smoothly with US platforms, including Paramount+ and Sling TV. Our speed tests proved it to be the fastest, which is essential for streaming NCAA March Madness without buffering or slowdowns. Along with its NASA-grade encryption and privacy toolkit, this provider supports major platforms plus Android TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and routers. It also offers a sweet deal right now—74% discount. So you won’t have to break the bank to unblock 2024 NCAA March Madness.
2. Surfshark VPN - best affordable VPN to stream NCAA college basketball in 2024. Its colossal fleet of 600+ servers in 25 major US cities will help you bypass geo-restrictions and unblock all NCAA March Madness games. Second only to NordVPN in connection speed, Surfshark will deliver a butter-smooth March Madness viewing experience with its modern WireGuard tunneling protocol. If you’d rather enjoy college basketball on big screen (smart TV or gaming console), Surfshark will bring it to you thanks to its Smart DNS feature. It’s also one of the most affordable VPNs.
3. Bitdefender VPN - fast and reliable 2024 March Madness VPN with a free version. This provider has 4000 servers in 50 countries,  including streaming servers optimized specifically for Paramount+ and Sling TV. It’s not quite as fast as NordVPN or Surfshark. But you can optimize your experience with the split tunnelling feature. Use it to handpick websites that use VPN connection and free up some bandwidth for smoother college basketball streaming.

What channels show 2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament?

CBS Sports and Turner Sports are at the forefront of the NCAA March Madness coverage in 2024. They will provide live coverage of all 67 games from the 2024 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. 2024 Men’s March Madness kicks off with Selection Sunday on March 17 and games begin on Tuesday, March 19.

2024 Women’s March Madness action will air across ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU). ABC and ESPN+ will air the NCAA Women’s Championship Game on April 8, 2024.

How to watch 2024 March Madness without cable

March Madness Live App might seem like the simplest way to access absolutely all 2024 NCAA college basketball games in one app. However it just won't work for cord-cutters. There's a 3-hour free preview, but then the app will ask for your cable provider login credentials.

Cord-cutters have a selection of platforms to follow top 2024 NCAA basketball games with March Madness streamed on Sling TV, Max, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV  and DirecTV Stream.

Unless you already have a subscription to any of those, we compared prices for you. Also, we checked what different platforms offer in terms of access to official March Madness broadcasts.

Based on our research, the cheapest way to get full access to all NCAA Men’s March Madness games from anywhere is Sling TV Blue plan and a reliable VPN  with a large server network in the US. Sling TV Blue plan costs $40 a month with a $20 discount for the first month. NordVPN is offering a generous discount of 74%.

Sling TV Blue plan streams all college basketball games aired on TBS, TNT, and truTV. Sling Blue also has a vast number of supported devices, adding Chromecast, AirTV Player, Xiaomi Mi TV, LG WebOS, Amazon Fire Tablets, Xfinity X1, and Azulle. To further add comfort to your streaming experience, it allows up to three devices per account.

The only thing Sling TV Blue plan is missing are CBS broadcasts. Yes, Sling TV offers it within its “Paramount+ Showtime” premium add-on, but it’ll cost you another $10/mo. We found a way to catch CBS March Madness cheaper: by subscribing to Paramount+ directly for $5.99/mo. This way you’ll save money and get access to all 2024 Men’s March Madness games.

Access to Paramount+ is limited to the US. If you want to buy or use it outside the country, you will need a reliable VPN to avoid geo-restrictions by spoofing your IP address.

Those who are passionate about the 2024 NCAA women's basketball tournament as well, you'll need Sling TV's Orange plan that supports ESPN.

If you’d rather opt for an all in one bundle, consider services like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. They cost substantially more, but will let you avoid the hassle of setting up two subscriptions. Keep in mind though that to catch NCAA March Madness you need the streaming service to believe you’re in the US. A robust VPN with a vast fleet of US servers will help with that.

How to stream 2024 NCAA March Madness in Canada

As a resident of Canada, you have an option to stream TSN games directly from their website for $4.99/ day or $19.99/month, however, this channel will broadcast only the final four games of the 2024 March Madness tournament. This isn’t a viable option at all.
You’re much better off getting the Sling TV Blue package with Paramount+: it’s cheaper and it will get you access to all 2024 NCAA Men’s March Madness games. The imposed geo-blocks that limit Sling TV and Paramount+ to US-residents are easily avoided by using NordVPN.

How to stream 2024 NCAA March Madness in the UK

Possibly due to the lack of popularity of the sport in the UK, there aren’t that many local cord-cutter options for British viewers when it comes to NCAA 2024 March Madness online streams, free or paid.
The cheapest method to watch 2024 March Madness live in the UK is again, Sling TV + Paramount Plus subscriptions that are possible with a March Madness-friendly VPN.

How to stream 2024 NCAA March Madness in Australia

Australia is really in a rough spot when it comes to streaming the 2024 NCAA March Madness. Their local providers like Foxtel and Fetch charge around 50 Australian dollars a month for their services.
Using NordVPN to unblock Sling TV and Paramount+ is not only cheaper, but you also get more out of your money: more content, more options and more flexibility by not being tied to one provider.

Can you use a free VPN to stream March Madness 2024 live?

We recommend against using a free VPN to watch 2024 Madness Madness.

March Madness streaming essentials, like encryption and servers, cost money. Paid-for VPN providers, like NordVPN, Surfshark VPN and Bitdefender VPN, make it their purpose to offer state-of-the-art security and a wide range of servers. Free providers rarely invest in those. Free VPNs have limited server options, slower connection speeds, and often impose data caps. Even if they manage to unblock March Madness for you, your streaming experience is likely to be hindered by lags, buffering, and VPN disconnecting due to server overcrowding.

Besides, free VPNs give no guarantee of your online security or privacy. They
were caught repeatedly spreading malware, collecting and sharing user data (which is not always anonymized) with 3rd parties. Simply put, trusting a free VPN with your data is always a bet and odds are likely against you.

So instead of unnecessary risks, limited features, and frustrating quality, choose from premium services with a 30-day money-back guarantee and get a refund if it’s not for you.

Bottom Line

Famous for its Cinderella stories and unbelievable runs, NCAA March Madness is geo-blocked outside the US. The sheer fact that tournament broadcasts are spread across 6 channels further complicates the issue. Not to mention official March Madness broadcasters in Canada, Australia, and UK only air select games.
To stack the odds in your favor, we tested top 24 VPN providers specifically focusing on features in-demand for unlocking live sports events. To make it even simpler for you, we also researched streaming services to pick those who offer best deals ahead of 2024 NCAA March Madness. Our experts agree that the best and cheapest solution for smooth and buffer-free 4k college basketball streaming in 2024 is NordVPN combined with SlingTV blue plan and Paramount Plus.

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FAQ

How can I watch 2024 March Madness for free?

Yes, you can watch 2024 March Madness for free, but only if you're a paid-TV subscriber in the US. If you aren’t paying for cable or outside the US, the cheapest option is NordVPN combined with Sling TV Blue plan. Just select a US server to conceal your location and you can follow college basketball live broadcasts from anywhere.

Is 2024 March Madness subject to blackouts?

No, 2024 March Madness is not subject to blackouts. However, NCAA March Madness games are geo-restricted outside the US. It’s impossible to watch all games without a a robust VPN to spoof your location and a streaming service that supports channels that air NCAA games. Our team of experts recommends NordVPN combined with Sling TV Blue plan for bufferless March Madness streaming from anywhere.

Can you watch 2024 NCAA March Madness on HBO Max?

Yes, HBO Max streams all men’s March Madness games that are broadcast on TBS, TNT, and truTV. However, games are geo-blocked outside the US. To unlock 2024 NCAA March Madness on HBO Max outside US, you’ll need a reliable VPN service. Our expert pick for maximum security is NordVPN.

When is 2024 March Madness Selection Sunday?

2024 March Madness Selection Sunday is on March 17. Men’s Selection Sunday will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+, Women’s–on ESPN. To watch it outside the US you'll need a robust VPN and a streaming service subscription. We recommend NordVPN combined with Sling TV.

When is March Madness Final Four this year?

2024 March Madness men’s Final Four is Saturday, April 6 (aired on TBS), women’s Final Four games will be played on Friday, April 5 (broadcast on ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN+). These games are strictly geo-blocked due to broadcasting rights outside the US. You can catch all of 2024 March Madness from anywhere with a streaming service (like YouTube TV, Hulu, SlingTV) and a robust VPN (like NordVPN).

Who won March Madness last year?

2023 Men’s March Madness winners was UConn who beat San Diego State, taking home its fifth national championship. In 2023 Women’s NCAA championship LSU Tigers took home the main trophy and celebrated their first victory in March Madness. If you missed 2022-2023 season, you can watch high-stakes college basketball games from anywhere in 2024 with VPN and a streaming service. We recommend NordVPN.

Will Caitlin Clark be in March Madness in 2024?

Yes, Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa basketball star, will be in 2024 Women’s March Madness with the Iowa Hawkeyes. You can follow Iowa and Caitlin Clark battle their way through 2024 March Madness brackets from anywhere this year with a VPN. Our experts recommend using NordVPN and Sling TV  Orange plan to watch women’s NCAA Division I championship.