If all you want for Christmas is unfettered access to your favorite Italian public service television station, you don’t have to count on a miracle from Santa Claus. Read on as we explain how to stream RaiPlay anywhere.
The broadcaster also has an enviable live sports offering, providing free coverage of Italian national football team matches, several UCI cycling events and the ongoing Autumn Internationals 2025 rugby and ATP Finals tennis tournaments, to name but a few.
If you’ve ever tried to tap into the riches of RaiPlay from overseas, you don’t need to tell me that it just doesn’t work properly. However, no matter where you are in the world, 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 for live stream without logging in.
However, creating a Rai account gives you access to the broadcaster’s on-demand library, as well as the ability to download shows and seamlessly switch between devices. All it requires is your name, email address and date of birth.
Are you traveling outside Italy? You can use a VPN to watch RaiPlay for free as if you were at home. NordVPN is our top choice of 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 does not work elsewhere. In other words, the moment you leave the country, your entry will be cut off.
It is here a VPN is convenient – not only does it allow you to use your home streaming services 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 later)
Chromecast
iOS (13.3 and up)
iPadOS
Web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari)
While 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 solution is to run NordVPN on your smartphone or computer and set up a hotspot.
Is there any live sports on RaiPlay?
RaiPlay’s live sports offering is arguably the best thing about it.
It has the rights to Italy’s national football team matches, the Coppa Italia, Italy’s national rugby union team (including the 2025 Autumn Internationals and Six Nations), tennis (including the ATP Finals), plenty of cycling throughout the year (including the Giro d’Italia), regular athletics and swimming events and Serie A basketball.
It is also home to major events such as 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?
With 14 channels, the RaiPlay library is huge.
Inspector Montalbano, Il paradiso delle signore, Hype, Il Collegio, A posto al sole, Il commissario Ricciardi, Noi del Rione Sanità, Mākari, Blanca, La recipetta della felicità, The bales, A pallottola nel cuore and Nathan K. are some of its flagship features.
It also hosts a good selection of international titles, such as SWAT, Normal people, NCIS, Professor T and Wild Cardsplus Saturday night and daytime as Ballando con le Stelle, Bellow and Tale e Quale Show.
We test and review VPN services for legitimate recreational use. For example: 1. Accessing a Service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that Service). 2. Protecting your online security and enhancing your online privacy when you are abroad. We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consumption of paid-for pirated content is neither endorsed nor endorsed by Future Publishing.
