How to Watch Australian TV Abroad (Without Losing Your Mind)

You've moved overseas, or you're travelling, or you're just an expat who still wants to watch the footy on Seven or catch up on the latest season of something on 9Now — and suddenly everything you used to watch for free is locked behind a "not available in your region" wall. Frustrating doesn't cover it.

Here's what's happening and how to fix it fast.

Which Australian Streaming Services Are We Talking About?

The big ones you'll hit a wall with are:

• 9Now — home of the NRL, The Block, and a ton of US imports
• 7plus — AFL, Sunrise, Home and Away, and live sport
• ABC iview — ABC News, Australian drama, documentaries
• 10 Play — Gogglebox, Survivor Australia, Masterchef

All four are free, ad-supported services that are perfectly legal to use if you're in Australia. The catch is they're geo-restricted — meaning they check your IP address when you connect, see you're in London or Los Angeles or wherever, and block you. It's not about your account, your subscription, or anything you've done wrong. It's just geography.

A VPN fixes this by routing your connection through an Australian server so those services think you're sitting in Sydney.

Why NordVPN, and Not Just Any Free VPN

Let's get this out of the way: free VPNs don't reliably work for streaming. Full stop. Services like 9Now and iview actively block known VPN IP addresses, and free VPN providers don't have the resources to keep rotating new ones. You'll spend more time troubleshooting than watching.

We'd recommend NordVPN here for a few specific reasons. It has a solid cluster of Australian servers (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane), it's consistently fast enough for live sport without buffering disasters, and it unblocks Australian services reliably. It's also easy — the apps are straightforward enough that you don't need to know anything about how VPNs work under the hood.

It costs $3.99/month (about £3.15 / €3.70) on a two-year plan, or $12.99/month (about £10.25 / €11.95) if you go month-to-month. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it properly before committing.

If NordVPN doesn't suit you for whatever reason, ExpressVPN is a strong second choice — faster servers but pricier at around $8.32/month (about £6.55 / €7.65) on an annual plan. Surfshark is worth a look if budget matters more — it's cheaper and works well, though the server speeds can vary a bit more.

Step-by-Step: Desktop (Windows and Mac)

1. Go to nordvpn.com and sign up for a plan.
2. Download and install the NordVPN app for Windows or Mac.
3. Open the app and log in.
4. In the search bar, type "Australia" and select any Australian server. Sydney is a safe pick.
5. Click Connect and wait a few seconds for the connection to confirm.
6. Open your browser and go to 9now.com.au, 7plus.com.au, or whichever service you want.
7. If it asks you to create an account or log in, do that — it's free and just needs an email address.

And that's genuinely it. Most people are watching within five minutes of starting.

Step-by-Step: Mobile (iOS and Android)

iPhone and iPad (iOS)

1. Download NordVPN from the App Store and sign in.
2. Tap the search icon and type "Australia", then connect to a server.
3. Now here's the extra bit — the 9Now and 7plus apps check your App Store region, not just your IP. If your App Store is set to the UK or US, you might not even find the apps, or they'll open and still block you.
4. To fix this: go to your Apple ID settings, scroll to "Media & Purchases," and switch your region to Australia. You'll need to remove any saved payment methods first, but you can add them back after.
5. Download the app (9Now, 7plus, iview — all free), connect NordVPN to Australia, and open the app.

Android

1. Download NordVPN from the Play Store and connect to an Australian server.
2. Same issue applies — the 9Now app may not show in your regional Play Store. You can either change your Play Store region to Australia in your Google account settings, or download the APK directly from the network's website (9Now and 7plus both offer this).
3. Once the app is installed and NordVPN is connected to Australia, open it and sign in or create a free account.

Watching on a Smart TV

This is trickier, but doable. Smart TVs don't run VPN apps natively, so you've got two clean options.

Option 1: Set up the VPN on your router. NordVPN has guides for most router brands. Once it's on the router, every device on your home network — including the TV — routes through Australia. This is the best long-term solution if you're living abroad.

Option 2: Use a laptop or computer and cast to the TV. Connect your laptop to the TV via HDMI, run the VPN on the laptop, open the streaming site in a browser, and mirror or extend your display to the TV. Not as elegant, but it works immediately without any router tinkering.

If your TV runs Android TV (many do), you can also sideload the NordVPN APK directly and run it on the TV itself.

Common Problems and Fixes

"This content isn't available in your region" — even with the VPN on

Try a different Australian server. Sometimes specific IP addresses get blocked. In NordVPN, disconnect, pick a different Sydney or Melbourne server, and try again. Usually sorts itself within one or two attempts.

The stream keeps buffering

Distance matters. If you're in Europe, the connection has to travel a long way to an Australian server and back. Try NordVPN's "Specialty" servers — they're optimised for speed. Also make sure you're on 5GHz WiFi rather than 2.4GHz if you're on wireless.

The app asks for an Australian postcode

Some apps ask for this during signup. Just enter any real Australian postcode — 2000 is central Sydney, 3000 is Melbourne CBD. It's purely for personalising local content; it's not verified against anything.

The app won't download on my phone

See the iOS and Android steps above. The App Store and Play Store region issue catches a lot of people out. Changing your store region is the cleanest fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is using a VPN to watch Australian TV legal?

In most countries, using a VPN is perfectly legal. The streaming services' terms of service may technically frown on it, but the worst that happens is they block your VPN — they're not going to come after individual users. If you're an Australian citizen or resident just trying to access your own content while travelling, this is a pretty clear-cut case.

Do I need an Australian bank account to sign up for these services?

No. 9Now, 7plus, ABC iview, and 10 Play are all completely free. You just need an email address to create an account. No payment details, no subscription.

Can I watch Australian live sport abroad?

Yes — this is actually one of the main reasons people use this setup. The AFL on 7plus, NRL on 9Now, and cricket on various networks all stream live. Just make sure your VPN is connected before you try to load the stream, and that you've checked the broadcast schedule for Australian time zones.

Will this slow down my internet?

A little, yes — routing through Australia adds some latency. But with a decent paid VPN like NordVPN, it's rarely noticeable for normal streaming. Live sport at peak times is where you might see the occasional hiccup. A wired ethernet connection helps more than anything else.

Does this work if I'm in China?

China's firewall is a different beast. Standard VPN connections are often blocked there. NordVPN has an "obfuscated servers" feature designed for restrictive countries — make sure you enable that in settings if you're in China, and expect some trial and error.

What if I already have a VPN but it's not working?

Older or cheaper VPNs often have outdated Australian server lists that streaming services have already blocked. If you're not on NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark, that's probably your problem. The big providers invest in staying ahead of geo-blocks; smaller ones often don't bother.

The Bottom Line

If you're an Aussie abroad — or just someone who wants to watch Australian content — this is genuinely one of the easier geo-restriction problems to solve. The services are free, the VPN setup takes maybe ten minutes, and NordVPN keeps it working reliably. Get the two-year plan, connect to Sydney, and you're back home — at least on screen.