The opening ceremony for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics was held on August 24 and the competition will continue through September 5. Live coverage is being broadcast primarily on NBCSN, while select events also stream on Peacock Premium.
According to the International Paralympic Committee, the first Paralympic Games were held in 1960 in Rome. The competition has grown throughout the decades and now includes athletes competing in over 500 medal events.
Cycling, swimming, goalball, wheelchair basketball, and sitting volleyball are some of the primary events at the Tokyo Paralympics. In addition, athletes compete in many different track and field events.
How to watch the Tokyo Paralympics
To watch the Paralympics you need access to NBCSN. Most key events, like goalball and swimming, will be broadcast live on this channel. A few events, replays, and taped showings will also broadcast on the Olympic Channel and NBC.
If you have access to NBCSN through a pay-TV provider like Xfinity or Dish, you can use your existing account info to stream every Paralympics event through the NBC Sports app or NBCOlympics.com.
Viewers without cable can watch the Paralympics through NBCSN and the Olympic Channel through multiple live TV streaming services. The most affordable way to stream those networks is with Sling TV. The Blue plan includes NBCSN and costs $35 a month. If you're a new member, you can get your first month for just $10. To unlock the Olympic Channel, you need the Sports Extra package for an additional $11 a month.
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV also give you access to the necessary channels for watching the Paralympics in many areas. That said, plans for these services start at $65 a month, so we recommend Sling as a cheaper option to stream the games.
Outside of broadcast TV, Peacock Premium members can stream a few Paralympic events live, including the wheelchair rugby final and the women's sitting volleyball final. Even though certain sporting events are free to stream on Peacock, you need a subscription to ad-supported Peacock Premium ($5/month) or ad-free Peacock Premium Plus ($10/month) to watch the Paralympics.
Tokyo Paralympics schedule for key broadcasts
August 24
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Opening Ceremony (replay) | 7 p.m.–10 p.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, cycling (track), swimming | 10 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
August 25
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Wheelchair rugby, cycling (track), swimming | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, cycling (track), goalball | 8 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
August 26
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Swimming, wheelchair basketball, cycling (track), wheelchair rugby | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Track and field, wheelchair rugby, cycling (track), goalball, wheelchair tennis | 9 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
August 27
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, judo | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Triathlon, track and field | 5:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. ET | Olympic Channel, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
August 28
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby | 12 a.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Swimming, track and field, goalball, wheelchair basketball | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Triathlon, table tennis, rowing | 5:30 p.m.–1 a.m. ET | Olympic Channel, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
August 29
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis, swimming, track and field, rowing | 1 a.m.–8:30 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Wheelchair rugby (replay), table tennis, wheelchair tennis | 9 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
August 30
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Swimming, sitting volleyball, track and field, wheelchair basketball | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Wheelchair basketball, road cycling, sitting volleyball | 9 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
August 31
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Swimming, cycling (road), track and field, wheelchair basketball | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, cycling (road) | 9 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
September 1
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Track and field, cycling (road), table tennis, wheelchair tennis | 9 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
September 2
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, cycling (road) | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Track and field, canoe/kayak, cycling (road), wheelchair tennis | 9 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
September 3
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, goalball | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Track and field, wheelchair tennis, canoe/kayak, sitting volleyball | 10 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
September 4
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Track and field, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball | 3 a.m.–9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Marathon | 5:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. ET | Olympic Channel, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball | 9 p.m.–3 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
September 5
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Closing Ceremony | 7 a.m.– 9 a.m. ET | NBCSN, NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com |
Tokyo Paralympics schedule for Peacock Premium events
August 29
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Wheelchair rugby final | 5 a.m.–7 a.m. ET |
September 4
| Event | Time | Where to watch |
Women's wheelchair basketball gold | 7 a.m.–8:45 a.m. ET | |
Marathon | 5:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. ET | |
Women's sitting volleyball final | 9 p.m.–11 p.m. ET | |
Men's wheelchair basketball gold | 11:15 p.m.–1 a.m. ET |