Getty Pitcher Monica Abbott will be on the roster for the United States.
For the first time in 13 years, softball is back at the Olympics, with six teams competing for the gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
In the United States, every Team USA game will be televised (full schedule) live on either NBCSN (NBC Sports Network), CNBC or USA, and the gold medal game (July 27 at 7 a.m. ET) will be on NBCSN.
Every game of the tournament can also be watched live or on-demand via NBCOlympics.com or the NBC Sports app, but you’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch that way.
If you don’t have cable or don’t have a cable log-in, here are some different ways you can watch a live stream of every Olympics softball game online:
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of NBCSN, CNBC, USA and 100-plus other live TV channels via FuboTV’s main channel package, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you then have the following options for watching games:
FuboTV app: You can watch any televised game live. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet
FuboTV website: You can watch any televised game live. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers
NBC Sports app: You can watch every game live or on-demand. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your FuboTV credentials
NBC Olympics website: You can watch every game live or on-demand. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your FuboTV credentials
Sling TV
NBCSN and USA are included in Sling TV’s “Sling Blue” bundle, while CNBC is in the “News Extra” add-on. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with the channels you need to watch the Olympics, and you can get your first month (which will cover the entirety of the Olympics) for just $10 (Sling Blue) or $16 (Sling Blue + News Extra):
Once signed up for Sling TV, you then have the following options for watching games:
Sling TV app: You can watch any televised game live. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet
Sling TV website: You can watch any televised game live. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers
NBC Sports app: You can watch every game live or on-demand. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your Sling credentials
NBC Olympics website: You can watch every game live or on-demand. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your Sling credentials
AT&T TV
AT&T TV has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” NBCSN, CNBC and USA are included in every one, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but your “due today” amount will be $0 when signing up. If you watch on your computer, phone or tablet, you won’t be charged for 14 days. If you watch on a streaming device on your TV (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, etc.), you will be charged for the first month, but you can get still get a full refund if you cancel before 14 days:
Once signed up for AT&T TV, you then have the following options for watching games:
AT&T TV app: You can watch any televised game live. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet
AT&T TV website: You can watch any televised game live. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers
NBC Sports app: You can watch every game live or on-demand. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your AT&T TV credentials
NBC Olympics website: You can watch every game live or on-demand. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your AT&T TV credentials
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of NBCSN, CNBC, USA and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you then have the following options for watching games:
Hulu app: You can watch any televised game live. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet
Hulu website: You can watch any televised game live. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers
NBC Sports app: You can watch every game live or on-demand. The app is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your Hulu credentials
NBC Olympics website: You can watch every game live or on-demand. Available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari browsers.
You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch games this way, but you can do that with your Hulu credentials
Tokyo Olympics Softball Preview
The six countries participating in the games were selected for the Olympic Games after playing in three qualifier tournaments held between 2018 and 2019. Japan, the No. 2 team in the world, will host, while world No. 1 United States are the favorites to win gold. Italy, Mexico, Canada and Australia are the other four teams competing for a medal in softball this year. Each team will play each other once, with the top two teams battling it out for gold and the third and fourth place finishers competing for the bronze medal.
Considering the sport will not be played in the 2024 Games in Paris, (a return is possible in 2028 in Los Angeles, and remains likely yet uncertain), this year’s Games will be an emotional event for every individual softball player competing.
“When we got the news that softball had been voted back into the Olympic Games, it was really just a dream come true scenario for a lot of us,” U.S. outfielder Haylie McCleney told USA Today.
The United States won gold in 2000 and 2004, losing in the gold medal game to Japan in 2008. The Americans will be out to get back on top once again, and they’ve been on a tear of late. They outscored their opponents 45-6 in the 2019 Pan-American Games, which was their last international outing. That said, the United States isn’t sitting on its laurels.
“Australia has a great developmental program and Japan, a very disciplined and structured organization. So this will be an Olympics unlike any other. I think everybody right now is not that farly separated as they used to be,” U.S. coach Ken Eriksen said heading into the games, noting he won’t be underestimating any country.
Here’s a look at the group stage schedule, along with the schedule for the gold and bronze medal matchups: (All times U.S./Eastern)
- Tuesday, July 20: Australia vs. Japan, 8 p.m. Italy vs. United States, 11 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 21: Mexico vs. Canada, 2 a.m. United States vs. Canada, 8 p.m. Mexico vs. Japan, 11 p.m.
- Thursday, July 22: Italy vs. Australia, 2 a.m.
- Friday, July 23: Australia vs. Canada, 9 p.m.
- Saturday, July 24: United States vs. Mexico, 1:30 a.m. Japan vs. Italy, 7 a.m. Australia vs. the United States, 9 p.m.
- Sunday, July 25: Canada vs. Japan, 1:30 a.m. Italy vs. Mexico, 7 a.m. Japan vs. United States, 9 p.m.
- Monday, July 26: Canada vs. Italy, 1:30 a.m. Mexico vs. Australia, 7 a.m.
Bronze Medal Game: Tuesday, July 27: Fourth-place in group vs. Third-place in group, 12 a.m.
Gold Medal Game: Tuesday, July 27: Second-place in group vs. First-place in group, 7 a.m.
And a glimpse at the roster for the United States:
- Monica Abbott, Pitcher
- Ali Aguilar, Infield
- Valerie Arioto, Infield
- Ally Card, Pitcher/infield
- Amanda Chidester, Catcher
- Rachel Garcia, Pitcher/infield
- Haylie McCleney, Outfield
- Michelle Moultrie, Outfield
- Dejah Mulipola, Catcher
- Aubree Munro, Catcher
- Bubba Nickles, Utility
- Cat Osterman, Pitcher
- Janie Reed, Outfield
- Delaney Spaulding, Infield
- Kelsey Stewart, Utility