One of the most famous amateur sporting events in the world, the 2025 Boat Race sees crews from the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford renew rivalries on the River Thames.
Read on and we'll show you how to watch the Boat Race from anywhere using a VPN – and potentially for FREE!
The 2025 Boat Race takes place today (April 13).
► Time (women's): 1.21 p.m. BST / 8.21 a.m. ET / 5.21 a.m PT / 10.21 p.m. AEST
► Time (men's): 2.21 p.m. BST / 9.21 a.m. ET / 6.21 a.m PT / 11.21 p.m. AEST
• FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• U.S. / AUS — Olympic Channel (FREE)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
Featuring some of the nation's best rowers, the battle between the UK’s two most prestigious universities sees Oxford (dark blues) out for revenge after Cambridge (light blues) dominated both the men’s and women’s races in 2024.
Last year saw Cambridge win the women’s race for the seventh consecutive year as they finished seven lengths clear of their rivals. They will understandably start the 79th running of the famous event as overwhelming favorites.
The light blues were equally impressive in the men’s event as they cruised to victory in a time of 18 minutes and 56 seconds. They will now be seeking to secure their 88th victory in what will be the 170th edition.
As always, both races will be held on the Championship Course that stretches 6.8km from Putney to Mortlake in London. The crews will receive plenty of support along the way with crowds of more than 250,000 expected to line the banks of the river.
Will this be the year that Oxford claim the bragging rights or will Cambridge extend their winning run? Tune in to find out. Plus, read on to discover how to watch 2025 Boat Race live streams from anywhere.
Watch the 2025 Boat Race for free
Rowing fans in the U.K. can watch the Boat Race for FREE on BBC One and its streaming service BBC iPlayer. Coverage starts at 12.20pm BST.
But what if you live in the U.K. but aren't at home to watch the Boat Race live stream? Maybe you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on pay TV in another country, when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home?
Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead. We'll show you how to do that below.
Watch the 2025 Boat Race from abroad
2025 Boat Race live streams will be shown on many different channels across the world, but what if you're not in your home country and want to watch it on your usual service?
You can still watch the 2025 Boat Race live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are, making it ideal for sports fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer or another service to watch the event.
Watch the 2025 Boat Race in the U.S.
Streaming information for the 2025 Boat Race is still being updated but currently those wanting to watch the rowing event in the U.S. can watch live streams on the Olympics TV channel.
It is FREE to sign up and it will be broadcasting all the action from the River Thames.
If you already use the services but aren't in the U.S. right now, you can watch a 2025 Boat Race live stream by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Watch the 2025 Boat Race in the U.K.
If you live in the U.K. then you can enjoy every single minute of the 2025 Boat Race without spending a penny — provided you already have a valid U.K. TV Licence.
The full event will be broadcast live on BBC One, with a live stream available on BBC iPlayer. That means you can watch every single moment of the action without needing a streaming service subscription or having to pay a box office fee.
All sounds great, right? But if you're not in the U.K., you can still follow a 2025 Boat Race live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Watch the 2025 Boat Race in Australia
Streaming information for the 2025 Boat Race is still being updated but currently those wanting to watch the rowing event in Australia can watch live streams on the Olympics TV channel.
It is FREE to sign up and it will be broadcasting all the action from London.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN, such as NordVPN, to watch all the action as if you were back home.
More from Tom's Guide
Disclaimer
VPN services are evaluated and tested by us in view of legal recreational use. For example: a) Access to services from other countries (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). b) Safeguarding your online security and making your online privacy more robust when abroad. Future plc does not support nor condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. We do not endorse nor approve of consuming pirated content that is paid-for.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
