If all you want for Christmas is unfettered access to your favourite Italian public service broadcaster, you don’t need to count on a miracle from Santa. Read on as we explain how to stream RaiPlay from anywhere.
The broadcaster has an enviable live sports offering too, providing free-to-air coverage of the Italy national football team’s fixtures, numerous UCI cycling events, and the ongoing Autumn Internationals 2025 rugby and ATP Finals tennis tournaments, to name just a few.
If you’ve ever tried to tap into RaiPlay’s riches from abroad, you won’t need telling that it just doesn’t work properly. However, no matter where in the world you are, a good VPN will let you stream RaiPlay just as you would if you were in Italy.
How to stream RaiPlay
Can I stream RaiPlay for free?
Not only is it free, but you don’t even need an account to watch RaiPlay online. All 14 Rai TV channels are available to live stream without logging in.
However, by creating a Rai account you’ll gain access to the broadcaster’s on-demand library, as well as the ability to download shows and switch seamlessly between devices. All it requires is your name, email address and date of birth.
Traveling outside Italy? You can use a VPN to watch RaiPlay free of charge as if you were right at home. NordVPN is our top pick of the options.
Use a VPN to stream RaiPlay from abroad
Why is a VPN a good option to stream RaiPlay from abroad?
RaiPlay is an Italian service that doesn’t operate anywhere else. In other words, the moment you leave the country your access will be cut off.
That’s where a VPN comes in handy – not only does it let you tap into your home streaming services from anywhere, it also protects you from potential online threats.
What devices and platforms are supported by RaiPlay and NordVPN?
Amazon Fire Stick
Android (7.1 and up)
Android TV (5.0 and up)
Apple TV (tvOS 13.4 and up)
Chromecast
iOS (13.3 and up)
iPadOS
Web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari)
Although you can’t run NordVPN directly on other devices, such as PlayStation and Xbox consoles, TVs running Apple TV and various other smart TV systems, and VR headsets, an easy workaround is running NordVPN on your smartphone or computer and setting up a hotspot.
Are there any live sports on RaiPlay?
RaiPlay’s live sports offering is arguably the best thing about it.
It holds the rights to Italy national football team games, the Coppa Italia, Italy national rugby team games (including the 2025 Autumn Internationals and Six Nations), tennis (including the ATP Finals), loads of cycling throughout the year (including the Giro d’Italia), regular athletics and swimming meets, and Serie A basketball.
It’s also home to major events like the World Cup, Olympics, Paralympics, Winter Olympics and European Championships, as well as niche disciplines, such as alpine skiing, canoeing, volleyball and fencing.
What else can you watch on RaiPlay?
Incorporating 14 channels, the RaiPlay library is enormous.
Inspector Montalbano, Il paradiso delle signore, Hype, Il Collegio, Un posto al sole, Il commissario Ricciardi, Noi del Rione Sanità, Màkari, Blanca, La ricetta della felicità, Balene, Una pallottola nel cuore and Nathan K. are some of its flagship properties.
It also hosts a good selection of international titles, such as S.W.A.T., Normal People, NCIS, Professor T and Wild Cards, plus Saturday night and daytime staples like Ballando con le Stelle, Belve and Tale e Quale Show.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
