The Ashes Test series harkens back to the start of modern-day cricket and represents a rivalry that’s considered to be one of the oldest in the sport. Cricket fans will undoubtedly be eager to find out how to watch the Ashes online for free, especially after England’s close call at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

The first Ashes Test starts on Wednesday, December 8 at 11:00 AEDT (00:00 GMT) in Brisbane, Australia. As a five-day match, it’s scheduled to run until December 12. Subsequent Tests begin roughly every week after that. If you’re interested in uninterrupted live streaming, then we have you covered. Keep reading to see how you can live stream the Ashes online for free anywhere in the world.

This guide to live streaming the Ashes free online will only recommend official sources. We’re aware of shady, subpar streams advertised frequently on discussion boards and forums. However, such ad-driven streams are likely to be taken offline at a moment’s notice due to their copyright violations. Plus, streams are often low-quality and may have frequent breaks in video and audio. There are many official streams available, so there’s really no need to resort to unlicensed options.

To watch the Ashes for free on your usual services while traveling outside of Australia, you’ll need a VPN to appear as if you were back home.

How to watch the Ashes for free online with a VPN

Streaming the Ashes abroad isn’t difficult to manage. Just follow the steps below and you’ll be watching the match fairly quickly.

Here’s how to watch the Ashes online from anywhere:

  • Sign up for a suitable VPN provider. Our top choice is NordVPN but Surfshark and ExpressVPN are both excellent alternatives.
  • Download the appropriate apps for your device.
  • Log in to your VPN provider and select a server in the country that corresponds to the service you’ve signed up for. For example, to stream 9Now, you’ll need to connect to an Australian server.
  • Proceed to stream the Ashes and watch all the cricket you want.

Since the Ashes are broadcast live, we earnestly recommend that you try these steps well in advance of the match. That gives you plenty of time to contact customer support if you run into any problems — the last thing you want is to miss the initial few minutes trying to troubleshoot the problem.

How to live stream the Ashes for free on Australian TV

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

The Ashes isn’t just for fans in England and Australia—the intense nature of the rivalry means plenty of people from other countries tune in as well. Lots of broadcasters from around the globe will show the matches live but Australia’s 7plus allows you to stream every moment of the action for free.

Streaming the Ashes through this option is easy to set up. Just navigate to the 7plus website and set up an account. All you need is a valid email address (no proof of Australian residency or a local payment method is required). However, 7plus is geo-restricted, which means you’ll need an Australian IP address before proceeding.

If you’re outside Australia, the best way to make this happen is by connecting to a VPN first. When you select a server in Australia, you’ll be granted a local IP address. We recommend you use NordVPN for this purpose as it’s an incredibly fast and secure service. Plus, it ships with a 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee, so you can watch the first three test matches and still get all your money back.

Where else can I watch the 2021/22 Ashes live online?

The above option is free but read on if you’re looking for streaming options in your home country.

UK

The Ashes will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. If you’re an existing subscriber, then you can sign into the website and watch online at no added cost.Otherwise, you’ll need an online pass; these costs £25 per month and don’t include any kind of free trial.

To stream the Ashes with your BT Sport subscription from abroad, you will need a British IP address. Again, it’s easy to get one of these with a VPN.

India

Sony Sports has rights to stream the Ashes in India. The exact channel will vary based on your preferred language, with English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu commentary available. To watch online, you’ll need either the free JioTV app or a SonyLIV subscription (these start at ₹299 per month).

Existing subscribers will need an Indian IP address to stream from abroad. Additionally, it’s not possible to subscribe to Sony Sport from outside India unless you have a local payment method and address to use.

US & Canada

WillowTV will be broadcasting all the Ashes matches live in the United States and Canada. If you already receive this channel as part of your cable TV package, you should be able to watch it via your provider’s website. Alternatively, If you’re a Sling TV customer, you can add Willow TV for $5 USD more each month.

This service is only available in a handful of countries, so you may need a VPN to access it while traveling abroad.

Who will win the 2021 Ashes?

England is the reigning champion, having won the competition in 2019, but the outcome of this series is too close to call. England will be looking to redeem itself, having lost in the semi-finals of the World Cup, whereas Australia’s confidence is at an all-time high, having taken its first win. Whatever happens, these tests are some you won’t want to miss!

Ashes 2021/22 Schedule

Here’s a list of the matches, including times you should consider tuning in.

Disclaimer: Comparitech does not condone copyright violations, including streaming video from unlicensed sources. While VPNs can mask a user’s identity and spoof their location, please consider the local laws and risks before streaming copyrighted material without permission.