The 1877 Boat Race was declared a dead heat because, legend has it, finishing judge “Honest” John Phelps was blind in one eye and blind drunk too. In 2025 we have multiple Olympic medalists, international attention, and an ugly dispute between Cambridge and Oxford over the definition of a degree. It’s come a long way.
Read on and we’ll show you how to watch Boat Race 2025 live streams from anywhere with a VPN, and potentially for free.
Oxford (dark blue) have men’s eight gold medalist Thomas Mackintosh, as well as women’s eight and men’s eight bronze medalists Heidi Long and Nick Rusher in their ranks, as they look to narrow the gap to Cambridge (light blue) in both the men’s (87-81) and women’s (48-30) events.
So blue-blooded it makes Wimbledon look like a bit of rough, the Boat Race over the River Thames has always been exclusive to the extreme, but having lost both of last year’s races, Oxford University have taken things even further this time.
They got Matt Heywood, Molly Foxell and Kate Crowley thrown off the Cambridge University teams by arguing that the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course they’d been studying isn’t worthy of consideration as a degree. The move provoked widespread condemnation, not least from teachers… but it worked.
Read on for everything you need to know to watch a 2025 Boat Race live stream from anywhere.
How to watch Boat Race 2025 live streams online for FREE
It’s possible to watch Boat Race 2025 for FREE in many countries around the world, as the event is being shown on BBC iPlayer in the UK, RTVE in Spain, and on the Boat Race YouTube channel everywhere it hasn’t picked up a broadcaster.
If you’re a resident of the UK, Spain or an eligible country, such as Australia or Canada, but you’re abroad right now, don’t worry about missing the action – all you need to do is download a VPN to re-connect to your home streaming coverage.
Watch Boat Race live streams from abroad
Boat Race is streaming on lots of platforms around the world, but what if you’re overseas and don’t want to fork out for a new subscription, or you want your favorite commentary team?
This is where a VPN can help. It’s a handy piece of software that can make your device appear to be back home, so you can unlock your usual service or subscription from anywhere. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything you want it to do at great speeds and an even better price.
How to watch Boat Race live streams in the US
In the US, the Boat Race is being shown exclusively on ESPN Plus.
ESPN Plus costs $11.99 a month or $119.99 a year, though it is also is available in a bundle with both Hulu and Disney Plus for $24.99 a month.
If you’re currently out of the US but still want to watch the race on your usual service, then don’t forget to explore the VPN route set out above.
How to watch Boat Race live streams in the UK
As mentioned above, viewers in the UK can watch the 2025 Boat Race on BBC One, with live coverage starting at 12.20pm BST.
All of the action will also be live streamed on BBC iPlayer, which is free with a valid TV Licence.
Outside the UK this weekend? If you want to watch the Boat Race on BBC iPlayer whilst traveling abroad you’ll need to download NordVPN, as detailed above.
How to watch Boat Race live streams in Canada
The Boat Race hasn’t picked up a broadcasting partner in Canada, which means it’s being live streamed for free on the Boat Race YouTube channel.
Not at home right now? Use NordVPN or another VPN service to make your device think you’re still in Canada.
How to watch Boat Race live streams in Australia
It’s a similar deal in Australia, where viewers can see what all the fuss is about via the Boat Race YouTube channel.
If you’re currently traveling overseas, don’t worry, as you can use NordVPN to watch your usual coverage from abroad.
Boat Race schedule 2025
Sunday, April 13
1.21pm – Women’s boat race
1.36pm – Women’s reserve race: Osiris vs Blondie
1.51pm – Men’s reserve race: Isis vs Goldie
2.21pm – Men’s boat race
2.45pm – Women’s presentation
2.55pm – Men’s presentation
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