How to watch Roland Garros (French Open) 2026 Qualifiers Day 2
Our in-house cybersecurity experts and journalists, renowned for major reports like The Mother of All Breaches, conduct transparent, unbiased VPN testing and in-depth analysis.
With 750+ articles crafted based on real-world research, we empower readers to make informed purchasing decisions through first-hand expertise.
Learn more
Roland Garros 2026 is already underway in Paris, with Opening Week qualifying setting the stage before the main draw begins on May 24th. Day 1 brought a packed schedule of qualifying matches, early wins for names like David Goffin and Sloane Stephens, and practice-court appearances from stars including Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Jessica Pegula, and Amanda Anisimova. The tournament runs through June 7th, ending with the men’s singles final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
For viewers looking for free streams, the best option during Opening Week is France Télévisions, which is covering the qualifying stage in France. Australian viewers get a free English-language option from the main draw, with Roland Garros matches airing on 9Gem and streaming on 9Now from May 24th.
Because these free streams are limited to their home countries, viewers traveling abroad may run into geo-restrictions. Below, we explain how to watch Roland Garros 2026 for free, where the tournament is streaming, and how to access your usual coverage safely while abroad.
Where to watch Roland Garros 2026
Below is a complete overview of where to watch the 2026 French Open by country.
| Country | Streaming Service | Price | Notes |
| Australia | 9Now / Channel 9 / 9Gem | Free | Free English-language coverage starts from the main draw on May 24th. Good free option, but not every match. |
| United States | Max / TNT / truTV | From $9.99/month | TNT Sports has US rights. Coverage is spread across TNT, truTV, and Max, with Max positioned as the main streaming option. |
| United Kingdom | TNT Sports / Eurosport | From £30.99/month | UK coverage is through TNT Sports, with streaming via HBO Max after TNT Sports moved there from discovery+. |
| Canada | TSN / RDS | From CA$19.99/month | TSN carries English coverage, RDS covers French-language |
| France | France Télévisions / Prime Video | Free / subscription | Best free option. Covers Opening Week qualifiers and all daytime matches up to and including the quarterfinals. France.tv also offers digital coverage throughout the tournament. |
How to watch Roland Garros 2026 for free
You can watch Roland Garros 2026 for free through official broadcasters in France and Australia, but the coverage differs by stage. France Télévisions is the most complete free option, with coverage available from Opening Week qualifying and daytime matches throughout the tournament. It also co-broadcasts the semifinals and finals with Prime Video.
In Australia, free coverage starts later, when the main draw begins on May 24th. Matches will air on 9Gem and stream on 9Now, making it the best free English-language option from Round 1. However, 9Now is not the full every-match stream — that role belongs to Stan Sport, which is a paid add-on.
If you are outside France or Australia, these free streams may be blocked because of regional licensing. To watch while traveling abroad, connect to a VPN server in the country of your chosen free broadcaster, then open the streaming platform as usual.
- Choose a VPN. I recommend NordVPN for streaming, now 76% OFF, as it runs thousands of servers across 211 locations, including multiple Australian locations, and uses the NordLynx protocol to maintain around 86% of your normal internet speed – enough for smooth HD live tennis without buffering.
- Install the VPN app. Download and install NordVPN on your device. It is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV.
- Connect to an Australian server. Open the app, select Australia from the server list, and connect. Your IP address will now appear to be in Australia.
- Go to 9Now. Visit 9now.com.au in your browser or open the 9Now app. Create a free account if you do not already have one.
- Find the Roland Garros coverage. Navigate to the live TV section or search for the French Open. Select your court and start watching.
How to watch Roland Garros 2026 in Australia
Roland Garros 2026 is available in Australia through Nine, 9Now, and Stan Sport. Free coverage starts with the main draw on May 24th, with selected matches airing on 9Gem and streaming on 9Now. You need a free Nine account to stream on 9Now.
For full coverage, use Stan Sport, which carries every match live and on demand in Australia. Stan’s Roland Garros coverage begins at 7:00pm AEST on May 24th and continues daily throughout the tournament.
How to watch Roland Garros 2026 in the United States
In the US, Roland Garros 2026 is broadcast on TNT, truTV, and Max. TNT Sports took over the US rights from NBC in 2025, and this is the second year of that deal. The men's and women's finals air on TNT with simultaneous streaming on Max. You can access Max as a standalone subscription from $9.99/month, or through cable and satellite packages that include TNT and truTV.
Coverage starts early morning each day, with day sessions beginning around 5:00 am ET.
If you're traveling outside Australia and want to keep access to your home country's streaming platforms while abroad in the US, you need a VPN. A reliable VPN service like NordVPN will route your traffic through an Australian server, allowing you to enjoy your usual 9Now free streams.
How to watch Roland Garros 2026 in the United Kingdom
TNT Sports holds the exclusive UK and Ireland broadcast rights for Roland Garros 2026, with every court available to stream live. You can access TNT Sports through a discovery+ subscription, or as part of a Sky, Virgin Media, or BT TV package. Eurosport is also part of the discovery+ group and carries tournament coverage.
Play in Paris begins at 10:00 am BST each day, making morning sessions accessible for most UK viewers.
How to watch Roland Garros 2026 in Canada
Roland Garros 2026 is available in Canada on TSN in English and RDS in French. TSN has carried the French Open for over a decade and provides daily coverage across multiple TSN channels and the TSN+ streaming platform. A TSN+ subscription starts from CA$19.99/month, or you can access it through a cable provider that carries the TSN networks.
Morning sessions in Paris begin at 5:00 am ET, which is early but manageable for fans who want to catch the biggest matches live.
Why you need a VPN to watch Roland Garros 2026
9Now is free to watch inside Australia, but the platform uses IP address detection to block access from outside the country. This is a standard licensing restriction: the Nine Network's broadcast rights for Roland Garros only cover Australian territory. If you try to open 9Now while traveling overseas, you will see an access error.
A VPN solves this by changing your virtual location. When you connect to an Australian server, 9Now sees an Australian IP address and lets you in. This is a legitimate use of VPN technology, particularly useful for Australian travelers abroad, expats who still follow the Nine Network's sports coverage, and anyone in a country without a free broadcast option.
Best VPNs to watch Roland Garros 2026
The three VPNs below have been tested for live sports streaming. They provide fast speeds, reliable unblocking of geo-restricted broadcasters, and stable HD playback, which matters when you are watching a five-set match from the other side of the world.
- NordVPN – best overall for streaming. NordVPN starts at $3.09/month and has strong Australian server coverage. The NordLynx protocol achieves around 86% of baseline speeds in our tests, and Smart DNS support lets you use it on smart TVs that don't support native VPN apps. It is our top pick for accessing 9Now from abroad. Read our full NordVPN review for more details.
- Surfshark – best budget option. Surfshark starts at $1.99/month and allows unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can cover every device in your household on a single account. It runs 4,500+ servers across 100 countries and uses the WireGuard protocol, which held around 80% of baseline speeds in our tests – more than enough for buffer-free HD streaming of Roland Garros. See our Surfshark review for the full picture.
- Proton VPN – best for privacy-focused users. Proton VPN is based in Switzerland and operates under some of the world's strongest privacy laws, making it a solid choice if security is a priority alongside streaming access. It runs 20,300+ servers across 148 countries and includes a free plan, while the premium tier starts at $2.99/month. Australian server coverage is reliable for 9Now access. Read our Proton VPN review for the full breakdown.
Roland Garros 2026 schedule
Roland Garros 2026 runs from May 18th through June 7th, with qualifying starting on May 18th and the main draw beginning on May 24th. The table below covers the key stages of the tournament with local start times in major time zones. Paris courts open at 11:00 AM CEST each day.
| Stage | Paris (CEST) | AEST (Australia) | BST (UK) | ET (US) |
| Qualifying | May 18th-22nd | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| First round | May 24th-26th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Second round | May 27th-28th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Third round | May 29th-30th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Round of 16 | June 1st-2nd | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Quarterfinals | June 3rd-4th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Women's semifinal | June 5th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Men's semifinal | June 5th-6th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Women's final | June 6th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
| Men's final | June 7th | 7:00 pm AEST | 10:00 am BST | 5:00 am ET |
FAQ
Is Roland Garros free to watch in Australia?
Yes, Roland Garros 2026 is free to watch in Australia on 9Now, the Nine Network's streaming platform. It also airs on Channel 9 and 9Gem on free-to-air television. No subscription is required, though you will need a free Nine account to stream on 9Now.
Can I watch Roland Garros from outside Australia for free?
Yes, if you use a VPN. 9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but connecting to an Australian server with a VPN gives you access to the free stream from anywhere in the world. NordVPN is our recommended option for this. The stream itself remains free – you only pay for the VPN service, and there's also a 3-day free trial.
What channel is Roland Garros on in Australia?
Roland Garros 2026 airs on Channel 9, 9Gem, and 9Go, depending on your state. The full live stream is available on 9Now. The Nine Network has held Australian broadcast rights for Roland Garros since 2021.
What time does Roland Garros start in Australia?
Day sessions in Paris begin at 11:00 am CEST, which is 7:00 pm AEST. Evening sessions in Paris start at around 8:15 PM CEST, which lands after midnight in Australia. Most of the day's main matches are therefore watchable in the early evening Australian time, with finals and later rounds often wrapping up late at night.
Who are the favorites to win Roland Garros 2026?
On the men's side, Jannik Sinner is the top favorite following Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal before the tournament. Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev are considered the other main contenders. On the women’s side, Iga Świątek enters as one of the leading title contenders.
