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How to watch AFL in the USA live in 2023


This year, the widely popular Australian Football League will commence from March 16 until September 30. While in Australia, matches can be watched on Channel 7, Kayo, or ABC Australia. However, if you’re outside Australia, watching AFL might be an issue unless you use a VPN to change your IP.

Watch AFL in 2023 Online
Regular season: March 16 – September 30, 2023
Stream in Australia:Channel 7, Kayo, ABC
Watch anywhere: Get NordVPN – 72% OFF!
Stream in the UK:Sky Sports

With a VPN, not only can you unblock Australian streaming services but also other popular broadcasters too. After all, TSN Canada will also stream AFL. Apart from bypassing geo-restrictions, a VPN is an excellent tool to enhance online security and privacy.

So, in this article, you will learn how to watch AFL in the USA live in 2023 using our tested and selected VPN providers on all popular devices. Continue reading and make it to the game!

How to watch AFL in USA with a VPN

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  1. Pick a reputable VPN provider. We recommend NordVPN, now at 72% OFF
  2. Download and install the VPN app
  3. Connect to a VPN server in Australia
  4. Create an account on Channel 7
  5. Confirm when the game starts in your location, and watch the stream

Why is VPN necessary to stream AFL games

Due to copyright laws and licensing agreements, most major Australian streaming service providers are geographically restricted. That means you must be in the geographical vicinity to stream the content. Otherwise, you will receive an error code like this one.

video-player-error
Video Player error

However, geographical restrictions are extremely unpopular among streaming service users. For example, a person from the UK that has subscribed to BT Sport, but is away from home for holidays or business trips, will not be able to access BT Sport streams.

Luckily, you can use a top-performing VPN to bypass geo-blocks and watch live streams in your native language. It's an effective and widely popular method among expats and frequent travelers who are also AFL fans!

3 Best VPNs to watch AFL online

We tested dozens of reputable VPNs to verify which ones work best for unlocking AFL streams from the USA. On our list, you will find the winners with enough high-speed servers in Australia to watch the games buffer-free. And they allow you to enjoy online security in the meantime.

Here are the three best options to watch AFL 2023 live.

How to watch AFL grand final in USA

The AFL Grand Final 2023 takes place on September 30th, and it's such a spectacular event that it even got a national holiday in the state of Victoria. Channel 7 got the licensing rights to stream AFL Grand Finals this year. You can use the official Watch AFL app to access the stream if you're located outside of Australia.

However, Watch AFL service is paid, and you can use one of our listed VPNs to access Channel 7 and watch the Grand Finals for free alongside Australians.

  1. Choose a VPN with high-speed Australian servers. We recommend NordVPN, which is now 72% OFF
  2. Download the VPN app and install it
  3. Connect to a server in Australia
  4. Create an account on Channel 7 website
  5. Confirm when the Grand Final starts in your location, and don't miss the stream

Watch AFL from anywhere else

To watch AFL globally without a VPN, you can use the WatchAFL app, which costs $20 for a weekly subscription, $39 for a monthly plan, and for the whole year, you will have to pay $181.

There are also regional providers that will stream AFL games.

  • The United Kingdom. You can subscribe to BT Sport to watch AFL in the UK. It costs £18 per month for a two-year plan or £29.99 per month if you want to subscribe contract-free.
  • The United States. Fox Sports has the license to stream AFL in the USA. The Fox Sports app is free, but you must have a subscription with one of the TV providers, such as AT&T TV, which costs $54.99 per month, fuboTV, which starts at $74.99 per month, or Hulu + Live TV plans, costing $69.99 per month.
  • New Zealand. You can use Sky GO NZ to stream AFL in New Zealand, and you have to subscribe to Sky TV + Sky Sports for £46 per month to access it.
  • Canada. TSN will provide an AFL stream in Canada, costing $19.99 for a monthly plan or $16.66 per month for an annual.

Stream AFL online with VPN on your device

VPN software is cross-device compatible, and you can use it to stream AFL from anywhere on your PC, smartphone, or streaming device. However, each device has a straightforward but slightly different setup process.

To save you time, we have written concise step-by-step instructions on how to use a VPN to unblock the free AFL stream on whatever device you are using.

Watch the free AFL stream on your computer (Windows, Mac)

It's very easy to set up a VPN on your Apple Mac or Windows PC and access a free AFL stream. Here's how to do it:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN service. We recommend NordVPN with the fastest Australian servers
  2. Download the app and install it
  3. Connect to a server in Australia
  4. Head over to Channel 7 and create an account
  5. Verify when the games start at your location and enjoy the free stream

Watch the free AFL stream on your smartphone (Android or iOS)

You can stream AFL on your smartphone if traveling or away from your computer or other streaming device. Our listed VPNs have comfy mobile apps, and here's how to use them:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN service. We recommend NordVPN for the best mobile experience
  2. Download and install the VPN app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store
  3. Connect to a server in Australia
  4. Go to Channel 7 and create an account
  5. Now you can stream AFL for free

Watch the free AFL stream on your streaming device

Some streaming devices support VPN apps, like Amazon Firestick or Chromebook. Meanwhile, devices like Roku, Kodi, or Apple TV do not.

Luckily, there's an easy fix to watch AFL free on devices that do not support native VPN applications. You will have to install a VPN on your router, switch the router's location to Australia, and connect your streaming device to it. Here's how to do it:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN service. We recommend NordVPN, which has an easy router setup.
  2. Follow the instructions on how to install your VPN on the router.
  3. Change your router's IP address to Australia.
  4. Connect your streaming device to the router.
  5. Head over to Channel 7 website and create the account.
  6. Now you can watch a free AFL stream on your streaming device!

How to watch AFL online free overseas

This year, Channel 7 has the licensing rights to stream the whole 127th season of AFL and the Grand Finals. The service is free to use but restricted to Australian viewers only.

You will have to utilize VPN free trials if you want to watch the free stream from overseas at no cost. Our listed VPNs offer month-long money-back guarantees, which are just as great as long as you don't forget to unsubscribe before the trial period ends!

Once the trial ends, you would need to pay this much for each VPN:

  • NordVPN – with over 190 Australian servers, this VPN is the best option to enjoy AFL anywhere. The prices start at $3.39/month.
  • Surfshark – this VPN allows unlimited parallel connections and has 20 servers in AU. You can get it from as low as $2.19/month.
  • IPVanish – you’re not gonna miss choosing this intuitive VPN, which has servers in Sydney and costs as little as $2.19/month.

Where to stream AFL womens' live games

It Looks like Channel 7 is going big on sports this year because it also acquired the rights to live-stream NAB AFL Women's league. Although it is still not confirmed when season 8 will start, the AFLW disclosed that the season had been moved a bit later in the year, closer to the winter-time period.

Here's how to watch AFLW for free from anywhere:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN with high-speed Australian servers. We recommend NordVPN, which is now 72% OFF
  2. Download the VPN and install it
  3. Connect to a server in Australia
  4. Create an account on Channel 7 website
  5. Watch the free AFLW stream

Moreover, to watch previous AFLW games, you can use the official mobile AFLW app found on Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Although the app is free, it is not verified whether it will provide a season 8 AFLW live stream.

Important dates in AFL schedule

The AFL has happened each year since 1896 and gathers a massive amount of worldwide spectators. And here are some of the most important AFL games specifically in 2023.

FixtureGame date
Carlton VS RichmondThursday, March 16th
Bombers VS HawthornSunday, March 19th
Dogs versus LionsThursday, March 30th
Adelaide versus Port AdelaideSaturday, April 1st
North Melbourne versus CarltonFriday, April 7th
Semi FinalsSunday, August 27th
Grand FinalsSaturday, September 30th

Wrapping up

The 2023 AFL season looks like a blaster bringing 23 games for sports fans to enjoy. Moreso, you can watch it absolutely free this year by using the VPN services and subscribing to Australia's Channel 7.

We found NordVPN to be the most reliable for this task. Its 190+ Australian servers are lightning fast, the app is comfy, and it works well on multiple streaming devices. The essential cybersecurity features it provides are no less important, so you may want to keep using it even after the AFL season ends.

Furthermore, a VPN will be useful if you watch AFL 2023 on your regional streaming service provider, like BT Sport in the UK or TSN in Canada. These services are geographically restricted, and if you're traveling outside the country, you will have to use a VPN to connect to your home server to use them.

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