If you’re trying to watch Wimbledon, there’s an easy way to watch it for free. All you need to do is gain access to the UK-based streaming service BBC iPlayer.
If you’re in the UK, that’s easy, all you need to do is visit BBC iPlayer create an account and away you go. If you’re outside the UK you’ll need to trick the streaming service into thinking you’re accessing it from within the UK.
Don’t worry, although it sounds complicated a reliable VPN makes the process incredibly easy.
This article will explain how to watch Wimbledon for free by gaining access to BBC iPlayer outside the UK.
See also:
- How to watch US UEFA Champions League coverage in the UK: The EASY way! (2023)
- How to watch The Ashes 2023 for free: The EASY way! (2023)
How to watch Wimbledon for free: Quick Guide
To watch Wimbledon for free, follow these steps:
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Create a new account with ExpressVPN ($6.67/month).
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Download and install the new VPN app on your device
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Select a server in the UK
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Create a BBC iPlayer account (see below)
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Watch Wimbledon for free
How to create a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK
To make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK, you need a few things.
First, you need a reliable VPN that works with BBC iPlayer, second you need a valid email address and lastly you need a UK address.
Simply follow these steps to make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK:
1. Download ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and connect to a UK server
To make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK, the first thing you need to do is gain access to the streaming service.
If you’re outside the UK BBC iPlayer will block you from accessing the platform.
That’s where a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) comes in. ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) will allow you to trick BBC iPlayer into thinking you’re accessing it from within the UK so you can make an account.
2. Visit BBC iPlayer and select “Register Now”
Once you’re connected to a UK server on ExpressVPN ($6.67/month), you’ll now have access to BBC iPlayer.
From here you’ll need to click “Sign In” and where it says “Don’t have a BBC account?” select register now.
3. Input your information
BBC iPlayer will ask you for your age and also your birthdate.
Input this information.
4. Input your email and password
5. Make sure you set location to the UK
Where it asks for your location, confirm you’re connected to a UK server on ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and set it to the UK.
It will ask you for a postcode, you can get one here
6. You’ll now have a BBC iPlayer account
For a more detailed guide you can check out ourHow to make a BBC iPlayer account outside the UK article.
How to download the BBC iPlayer app outside the UK
If you’re outside the UK you won’t be able to find the BBC iPlayer app on the Apple or Google app stores.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to get around this:
Apple
- Download ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) and connect to a UK server
- Create a new iCloud account for free
- Login to your new iCloud account
- Open your account
- Select Media and Purchases
- Select View Account
- Tap Country/Region and select the UK
- You’ll now have access to the UK version of the App Store
- Download BBC iPlayer
Android
- Create a new Google Play account and login to it on the Google Play store
- Download and install ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) on your Android phone
- Connect to a UK server on ExpressVPN ($6.67/month)
- Open up your Google Play Account
- Click Settings
- Click General
- Click account and device preferences
- Change your location to the UK
- Put in your credit card details
- Close Google Play and open it again
- You’ll now be on the UK version of the Google Play Store
- Download and install BBC iPlayer
Why can’t I access BBC iPlayer outside the UK?
You can’t access BBC iPlayer when outside the UK because the streaming service has figured out, you’re not in the UK and has blocked your connection.
BBC iPlayer is a UK streaming service that’s only available in the UK, if you’re outside the country, BBC iPlayer knows this and will block your connection.
It does this because if it made itself available outside the UK, it would be breaching very severe rules and regulations around content and copyright licensing. These breaches are often met with severe fines.
BBC iPlayer doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content outside the UK, so to protect itself from potential financial punishments it blocks anyone outside the country from accessing its platform.
How does BBC iPlayer block my connection outside the UK?
Whenever you go online, you’re allocated a unique IP address. This is used by your device to communicate with the online service you’re visiting, in this case BBC iPlayer.
You need an IP address to go online, there’s no way to turn it off. This can create a problem when trying to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK because in order for this communication to work it needs to contain information about your physical location.
For example, if you’re in the US your IP address will show you’re in the US, if you’re in Canada your IP address will show you’re in Canada and so on.
When you connect to BBC iPlayer your IP address is sent to the streaming service’s servers. Here it’s scanned by BBC iPlayer and if the location information stored on your IP address shows you aren’t in the UK, BBC iPlayer will block your connection.
Can I watch Wimbledon outside the UK?
The best way to watch Wimbledon outside the UK is by gaining access to BBC iPlayer.
To watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK you need to get around the streaming service’s location-based blocks.
The easiest way to do this is to change your IP address to one based in the UK. This way, when BBC iPlayer scans your IP address, it will think you’re located in the UK and you’ll be able to access all of its content including live Wimbledon matches.
The good news is changing your IP address isn’t hard. All you need is a reliable VPN that works well with BBC iPlayer.
The best VPNs for BBC iPlayer are ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month). These VPNs allow you to change your IP address instantly. All you need to do is download one of these apps, they’re available on almost any device you can think of, connect to a UK server and within seconds you’ll have a UK IP address.
Will any VPN work with BBC iPlayer?
Because VPNs are becoming increasingly more popular, BBC iPlayer is aware that they can potentially allow people to watch its content outside the UK.
Someone using a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer outside the UK could result in the streaming service getting fined for being available in a location where it doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content. To prevent this, BBC iPlayer has started to block VPNs.
These blocks are incredibly hard to get around and there’s a huge number of lesser VPNs that can’t beat them. This means they won’t work with BBC iPlayer and it could mean you waste money on a VPN that won’t work.
Fortunately, there are VPNs out there that have measures in place to ensure they can get around these blocks. Both ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) play a game of cat and mouse with BBC iPlayer meaning if an IP address provided by ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) gets blocked by BBC iPlayer, these VPNs will close that IP and open a new unblocked one.
This will allow you to watch BBC iPlayer reliably outside the UK, and therefore allow you to watch Wimbledon anywhere in the world.
The best VPNs for BBC iPlayer
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2023
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
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Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
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2. NordVPN 🥈
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.
It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.
Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.
Read our NordVPN review.
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3. Private Internet Access
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.
This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.
If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).
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4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.
This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.
The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.
For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.
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5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
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Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.
From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.
That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.
Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.
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Is watching BBC iPlayer with a VPN legal?
There are only a handful of countries (spot the authoritarianism link) where using a VPN is illegal; these are: China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Seychelles, Suriname, Namibia, Slovenia, Nicaragua and Tajikistan.
If you’re outside these countries and are using a VPN, you’re legally allowed to do so. However, it’s important to know that using a VPN with BBC iPlayer may breach the service’s terms of use.
In here it states: “You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or to watch or download BBC programmes on iPlayer when you’re in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. If you’re outside these areas you need to check if your country has its own TV licensing scheme.”
What this means is if you’re accessing BBC iPlayer in a location that doesn’t have a TV licensing scheme, with a VPN, then the BBC is within its rights to ban/block your connection or account.
However, with BBC iPlayer being a free streaming service that doesn’t require any sort of subscription, you aren’t obliged to accept a contractual agreement meaning there’s less restrictions when it comes to using a VPN with the streaming service.
This means, although BBC iPlayer will try and stop you from accessing its content with a VPN. It won’t ban your account for using one.
Also, BBC iPlayer has never banned anyone for using a VPN to access its service.
For more information you can check out our article answering Is streaming with a VPN legal?
