The 2026 US Open brings two weeks of world-class Grand Slam tennis to the hard courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. With coverage split across multiple regional broadcasters and subscription streaming services, following every round can be challenging for traveling fans or international cord-cutters.
Here is an essential guide to the tournament schedule, global broadcast rights, and how to access live matches from anywhere.
Tournament Schedule and Key Dates
The tournament unfolds across 14 intensive days of main-draw play, featuring day and night sessions:
- First & Second Rounds: Extensive all-day court coverage starting mid-morning local Eastern Time (ET).
- Third & Fourth Rounds (Round of 16): Coverage concentrates on Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium showcases.
- Quarterfinals & Semifinals: Evening prime-time sessions featuring marquee men’s and women’s singles matchups.
- Championship Weekend: The Women’s Singles Final anchors Saturday afternoon, followed by the Men’s Singles Final on Sunday.
Official Regional Broadcasters and Streaming Hubs
Broadcast rights vary significantly depending on regional agreements:
- United States: ESPN network family serves as the primary broadcast home (ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC), with every outer court stream accessible via ESPN+. Live TV streaming bundles such as Sling TV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV provide cord-cutters full linear network access.
- United Kingdom & Ireland: Sky Sports Tennis carries 24/7 dedicated court coverage, available digitally via the NOW streaming app without a long-term satellite contract.
- Australia: Stan Sport delivers comprehensive live coverage alongside on-demand full match replays, with select marquee and final rounds broadcast free-to-air via the 9Network (9Now).
- Canada: TSN and RDS provide multi-feed digital streaming and traditional cable broadcast coverage.
How to Watch from Anywhere Using a VPN
Traveling outside your home country during the tournament often triggers geo-restriction blocks on domestic streaming apps. A reliable Virtual Private Network (VPN) solves this by routing your connection through secure home-region servers:
- Select a High-Speed VPN: Opt for a service known for consistent streaming bandwidth (such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN) to prevent buffering during high-frame-rate tennis action.
- Connect to Your Home Server: Launch the application and select a server located in your home country (e.g., connect to an Australian server for 9Now or a US server for ESPN+).
- Open Your Streaming Provider: Launch your broadcaster app or web platform, sign in, and stream match feeds seamlessly as if you were back home.
Pro Tips for Cord-Cutters
- Check Free-to-Air Options First: Select countries offer free, legal regional broadcasts for decisive late-stage matches. Ensure your device is configured before finals weekend.
- Leverage Multi-Court Feeds: Major streaming platforms allow simultaneous split-screen viewing across outer courts during the first week, letting you follow seeded favorites and simultaneous upsets without channel-hopping.