Why You Can Trust CNET Grand National 2024 Livestream: How to Watch Aintree Horse Racing From Anywhere
Can Corach Rambler claim back-to-back victories at Aintree?
The world's most prestigious steeplechase takes place once again this weekend as the runners and riders take on the 30 demanding fences of Aintree Racecourse for this year's Grand National.
First run in 1839, this year's edition of the four-mile race is set to see some significant changes. Along with an earlier time slot, the field has been reduced down from 40 horses to a maximum of 34, while the first fence has been brought closer to the start line in order to reduce the speed at which the horses reach it.
What effect that has on the race remains to be seen, but one element of this year's event that will be familiar from last year's race is the return of 2023 winner Corach Rambler. The Lucinda Russell-trained gelding is being strongly backed to become only the third horse since World War II to win consecutive Grand Nationals, matching a feat previously pulled off by Aintree legends Red Rum and Tiger Roll.
Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the race live wherever you are in the world.
Corach Rambler, ridden by Derek Fox for Scottish trainer Lucinda Russell, won last year's race.
Grand National 2024: When and where?
This year's Grand National takes place at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool on Saturday, April 13. The horses are this year set to get under starter's orders at the slightly earlier time of 4 p.m. BST local time in the UK (11 a.m. ET or 7 a.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 1 a.m. AEST on Sunday, April 14, in Australia).
How to watch the Grand National 2024 online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the Grand National locally, you may need a different way to watch the race -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy.
A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 35% -- the equivalent of $8.32 a month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Livestream the Grand National 2024 in the UK for free
It's one of the biggest events on the UK's sporting calendar, and you can watch this year's event live and for free in the region, with the Grand National being shown on free-to-air terrestrial broadcaster ITV1. That also means you'll be able to stream the race for free on the network's streaming service ITVX. Coverage starts at 12:55 p.m. BST on Saturday afternoon, with the Grand National itself set to start at 4 p.m.
ITVX is completely free to use in the UK, and works across a wide range of devices including Chromecast, desktop, iOS and Android, Roku, Sky Glass and Xbox devices.
Can I livestream the Grand National 2024 in the US?
Despite its standing as one of the most famous horse races in the sporting calendar, no US network is showing this year's Grand National.
That also means that if you're in the US traveling for pleasure or for work, you're unlikely to be able to watch the race like you normally would at home thanks to geo-blocking.
There is one option to get around this, however. By using a VPN, as explained above, you can set your location to a country where the Grand National is being broadcast and go from there.
Can I livestream the Grand National 2024 in Canada?
While CBC Sports has shown the Grand National live in recent years, that doesn't appear to be the case for the 2024 edition of the race, with no Canadian broadcaster currently confirmed to show the event this year.
If you're from the UK or Australia and happen to find yourself in Canada, you can use a VPN to watch via your usual streaming service.
Livestream the Grand National 2024 in Australia for free
Horse racing fans Down Under can watch this showpiece sporting event from Aintree for free via the Racing.com TV channel and Racing.com website.
Quick tips for streaming the Grand National using a VPN
- With four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming the big race may vary.
- If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
- If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.