Where to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics
In a shocking turn of events, DStv’s SuperSport is not broadcasting any Winter Olympics coverage.
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While the Winter Olympics might not receive the same level of fanfare worldwide, it is still important for athletes who have worked their whole lives to represent their country at the world's biggest sports competition.
The figure skaters are looking for tens across the board, skier jumpers want to go higher, and bobsledders want to go faster.
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What makes the 2026 Games even more exciting is that South Africa has sent its largest team to a sporting event in Milan, Italy, since 1960.
There has also been no SA team present at the games since 2018.
This only deepens the disappointment South Africans feel about not being able to watch.
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MultiChoice first announced that it would not carry any live coverage on MyBroadband.
This even includes no highlights of the Winter Olympics.
With no official South African media rights holder for the Winter Olympics, avid sports fans have been left to find alternative (often illegal) viewing methods.
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After doing some research, there are ways for South Africans to legally access and use more legitimate sources.
Here is how and where you can watch the Winter Olympics.
1. The Winter Olympics Official Website: the easiest option
It’s not breaking news that the most convenient and reliable way to stream the events is through the official channels.
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However, it has not been widely reported that everyone, including people in SA, can stream the Winter Olympics on its YouTube channel.
If you still want the full TV-watching experience, you can stream YouTube on most smart TVs.
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According to MyBroadband, the Olympics website also offers live video streams, but users need to create an account, and the error message “This video is not currently available in your region” still pops up.
2. VPNs
MyBroadband tested two VPN services.
VPN stands for "Virtual Private Network" and refers to the ability to establish a secure network connection when using public networks.
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A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and masks your online identity. This occurs in real time, making it harder for third parties to track your online activity and steal your data.
Benefits of a VPN:
- Secure encryption
- Disguising your whereabouts
- Access to regional content
- Secure data transfer
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Why use a VPN for streaming?
Many video streaming services, such as Netflix and YouTube, restrict access to certain videos in certain countries.
VPNs encrypt IP addresses so it appears a user is accessing the video from another (eligible) country, bypassing the restrictions in place.
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MyBroadband tested ProtonVPN and NordVPN, using them to access two of the most widely known official international streams, BBC iPlayer and CBC Gem (Canada)
Using ProtonVPN:
- Has a free tier.
- Needs a subscription of $9,99 per month (R162)/$47,88 per year to choose a specific country.
- Does not work with BBC iPlayer.
- Works with CBC Gem but has poor performance, pixellating, buffering, and often completely stops.
Using NordVPM:
- performed better, but is the more expensive option.
- Basic plan is $12,99 per month (R210)/$51,48 per year, excluding VAT.
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3. HBO Max
South Africans can also subscribe to the streaming service in order to watch the Winter Olympics.
This would cost R220 per month or R367 per month using the cheapest VPN services available.
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South Africans competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics
- Thomas Weir (17): Alpine Skiing
- Lara Markthaler (18): Alpine Skiing
- Malica Malherbe (21): Freestyle Skiing
- Nicole Burger (31): Skeleton
- Matthew Smith (35): Cross Country Skiing
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Image: Getty Images/Olympics