Every summer, the Tour de France captivates the world with its showcase of the top road cyclists. This year promises an unparalleled season as the men’s and women’s races deliver new challenges. For U.S. viewers, NBC Sports will broadcast extensive TV coverage of both races across Peacock and NBC.
The men’s Tour de France puts rubber to pavement, starting on Saturday, July 4, and culminating in Paris on July 26. Following that, the Tour de France Femmes will begin its fifth edition on Saturday, August 1, before finishing on August 9. Whether you’re a casual Tour de France fan or a diehard UCI World Tour follower, you won’t want to miss either race.
My top recommendation for complete viewing is Peacock. It carries every stage live and on demand, plus other cycling events like the Vuelta a España. But before I dig too deep into Peacock, let’s take a closer look at how to watch the Tour de France on TV, including channel listings and the complete TV schedule.
What channel shows the Tour de France?
You can watch the Tour de France on NBC and Peacock, with the relaunched NBCSN likely showing live portions of the Tour de France Femmes. You’ll get the most live coverage from Peacock because it streams every stage of the men’s and women’s races, plus daily pre- and post-race shows during the men’s event.
Meanwhile, NBC offers live portions of the men’s first, eighth, and twentieth Saturday stages.
2026 Tour de France TV schedule
The Grand Départ of the 2026 Tour de France takes place on July 4 in Barcelona, Spain, setting the stage for 21 days of world-class racing. The demanding route will test riders across a mix of flat, undulating, and mountainous terrain, including an epic return to Alpe d’Huez for the Stage 19 and 20 finishes. Two crucial rest days break up the action on July 13 and 20 before the peloton makes its triumphant way to the historic Champs-Élysées in Paris.
To follow every kilometer of this epic journey across France, visit the official route map to see how this year’s various stages piece together. You’ll also find the complete Tour de France U.S. TV schedule below.
| Stage | Day | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Barcelona to Barcelona (Spain) | Saturday, July 4 | 10:00 a.m. | Peacock, NBC |
| 2: Tarragona to Barcelona (Spain) | Sunday, July 5 | 7:00 a.m. | Peacock |
| 3: Granollers (Spain) to Les Angles | Monday, July 6 | 5:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 4: Carcassonne to Foix | Tuesday, July 7 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 5: Lannemezan to Pau | Wednesday, July 8 | 7:00 a.m. | Peacock |
| 6: Pau to Gavarnie-Gèdre | Thursday, July 9 | 6:00 a.m. | Peacock |
| 7: Hagetmau to Bordeaux | Friday, July 10 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 8: Périgueux to Bergerac | Saturday, July 11 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock, NBC |
| 9: Malemort to Ussel | Sunday, July 12 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| Rest Day | Monday, July 13 | — | — |
| 10: Aurillac to Le Lioran | Tuesday, July 14 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 11: Vichy to Nevers | Wednesday, July 15 | 7:00 a.m. | Peacock |
| 12: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours to Chalon-sur-Saône | Thursday, July 16 | 7:00 a.m. | Peacock |
| 13: Dole to Belfort | Friday, July 17 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 14: Mulhouse to Le Markstein Fellering | Saturday, July 18 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 15: Champagnole to Plateau de Solaison | Sunday, July 19 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| Rest Day | Monday, July 20 | — | — |
| 16: Évian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains | Tuesday, July 21 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 17: Chambéry to Voiron | Wednesday, July 22 | 6:30 a.m. | Peacock |
| 18: Voiron to Orcières-Merlette | Thursday, July 23 | 6:00 a.m. | Peacock |
| 19: Gap to Alpe d'Huez | Friday, July 24 | 7:00 a.m. | Peacock |
| 20: Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Alpe d'Huez | Saturday, July 25 | 5:30 a.m. | Peacock, NBC |
| 21: Thoiry to Paris (Champs-Élysées) | Sunday, July 26 | 9:30 a.m. | Peacock |
2026 Tour de France Femmes schedule
Avoiding any overlap with the men’s race, the fifth installment of the Tour de France Femmes kicks off on Saturday, August 1. It spans nine grueling days, featuring the most distance and elevation gain in the event’s history. The route begins in Switzerland before heading south towards a summit finish on Mont Ventoux on Stage 7 and concluding with a circuit finish in Nice.
Below is the Tour de France Femmes TV schedule, complete with U.S. start times and channel listings. I also recommend checking out the official route map for a detailed look at each stage and elevation profile.
| Stage | Day | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Lausanne to Lausanne (Switzerland) | Saturday, Aug. 1 | TBA | Peacock |
| 2: Aigle to Geneva (Switzerland) | Sunday, Aug. 2 | TBA | Peacock |
| 3: Geneva (Switzerland) to Poligny | Monday, Aug. 3 | TBA | Peacock |
| 4: Gevrey-Chambertin to Dijon | Tuesday, Aug. 4 | TBA | Peacock |
| 5: Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais | Wednesday, Aug. 5 | TBA | Peacock |
| 6: Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhône | Thursday, Aug. 6 | TBA | Peacock |
| 7: La Voulte-sur-Rhône to Mont Ventoux | Friday, Aug. 7 | TBA | Peacock |
| 8: Sisteron to Nice | Saturday, Aug. 8 | TBA | Peacock |
| 9: Nice to Nice | Sunday, Aug. 9 | TBA | Peacock |
Best Tour de France TV plans
A Peacock Premium subscription is the best way to watch the Tour de France. Starting at $10.99 a month, the streaming service provides live and on-demand access to every stage of the men’s and women’s races.
Beyond the live action, Peacock also includes daily editions of the “Tour de France Pre-Race Show” and race highlights. During the men’s competition, you’ll also get the insightful post-race show “THEMOVE,” hosted by former cyclists Lance Armstrong and George Hincapie.
If you’re only interested in Le Tour, you can cancel your Peacock subscription after the final stage. Otherwise, the service’s cycling coverage doesn’t stop there. Peacock hosts the Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné, Vuelta a España, and Paris–Tours. It’s also home to the Paris Olympics, which features road race and track cycling events every four years.
Fan verdict: I’ll be watching the 2026 Tour de France on Peacock because it’s the only platform in the U.S. that provides live coverage of every stage. This exclusivity is crucial for dedicated fans who want to experience the race in its entirety. Peacock also offers the advantage of full-stage replays, which is especially important because of the race’s early start times.
Which TV providers carry the Tour de France?
Besides Peacock, most TV services carry limited Tour de France coverage via NBC. I created the table below to illustrate which popular providers offer the broadcast network.
| Provider | Price | NBC* | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | $20.00–$184.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for Cox Read Cox review |
| DIRECTV | $89.99–$169.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for DIRECTV STREAM Read DIRECTV review |
| DISH | $89.99–$119.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for DISH Read DISH review |
| Fubo | $14.99–$103.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for FuboTV Read Fubo review |
| Hulu + Live TV | $88.99–$99.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for Hulu Read Hulu + Live TV review |
| Optimum | $15.00–$140.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for Optimum Read Optimum review |
| Philo | $33.00/mo. | — |
View Plans for Philo Read Philo review |
| Sling TV | $19.99–$60.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for Sling TV Read Sling TV review |
| Spectrum | $40.00–$145.00/mo. | ✔ |
Check Availability Read Spectrum review |
| Verizon Fios | $105.00–$149.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for Verizon Read Verizon Fios review |
| Xfinity | $65.00–$135.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for Xfinity Read Xfinity review |
| YouTube TV | $82.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plans for YouTube TV Read YouTube TV review |
Data effective as of post date.
*Available in select markets.
How can I watch the Tour de France for free?
The most convenient way to watch the Tour de France for free is on the NBC Sports NOW channel, available on platforms like The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, and Xumo. After each stage, the channel will stream one-hour daily recaps and nightly episodes of “Tour de France: Beyond the Podium.”
Another free option is to use an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to pick up your local NBC station. Unfortunately, NBC doesn’t show a lot of live race coverage — only a couple of Saturday presentations. But it never hurts to have an antenna in your TV arsenal.
If you don’t have an antenna, most cost between $20 and $60. I often recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 for its 60-mile range and slim design. But you’ll want to verify the distance between your house and the nearest NBC station by entering your zip code into Antennas Direct’s Transmitter Locator. That’ll help determine if you need a more robust antenna, which we highlight in our Best OTA Antennas guide.
Can I stream the Tour de France for free? You can watch select Tour de France stages for free using a live TV streaming trial. Otherwise, besides NBC Sports NOW, free race recaps are available on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel.
How to watch the Tour de France FAQ
Can you watch the Tour de France on NBC?
Yes, some Tour de France coverage airs on NBC. But you'll want a Peacock Premium subscription to watch every live stage from start to finish.
How can I watch today's Tour de France stage?
If today's date is between July 4 and 26, you can watch the current Tour de France stage live and on demand via Peacock. The women's race takes place later in the summer between August 1 and 9. Check out our complete Tour de France 2026 schedule for race start times and channel listings.
Does Peacock include the Tour de France world feed?
No, Peacock won't stream the Tour de France world feed in 2026. While the service carried the world feed in 2023, subscribers will only get NBC Sports-produced coverage this year. That means you're stuck with play-by-play caller Phil Liggett, analyst Bob Roll, and reporters Steve Porino and Christian Vande Velde. You can work around this by using a VPN set to Canada and signing up for FloBikes, which features Eurosport's coverage with commentators Anthony McCrossan and Nicolas Roche.
Is every cycling Grand Tour race on NBC?
No, not every race in the Grand Tour of Cycling airs on NBC. While NBC Sports channels and platforms televise the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, the Giro d'Italia streams on HBO Max.
What cycling events are on Peacock?
Popular cycling events featured on Peacock include the Tour de France, Vuelta a España, and Olympic cycling. Other major UCI World Tour races like the Giro d'Italia, Milan–San Remo, and Tour of Flanders stream on services like FloBikes and HBO Max.
Is there an official Tour de France app?
Yes, you can download the official Tour de France mobile app on your Android or iOS device to heighten your viewing experience for La Grande Boucle. The app is free and comes with course maps, real-time stats, and live commentary.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com Sports Editor, Taylor Kujawa, initially wrote this Tour de France viewing guide in 2023, having been an avid follower of the La Grande Boucle since childhood. This guide is the result of annual broadcast research and TV provider testing to identify the best ways U.S. viewers can watch the men’s and women’s races. Each year, Taylor reexamines which channels and platforms carry every stage. He then refines his viewing recommendations based on race coverage, pricing, and ease of use.
Check out CableTV.com’s How We Rank page to learn more about the site’s methods.
