The 2026 Tour de France begins on July 4 in Barcelona and finishes on July 26 with the traditional final sprint on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
This year marks the 113th edition of the race and the third time the Grand Départ has been held in Spain. The route covers 3,333 km across 21 stages, mixing flat sprints, brutal mountain climbs, a team time trial in Barcelona, and a single individual time trial along Lake Geneva.
Defending champion Tadej Pogačar returns with UAE Team Emirates-XRG, chasing a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey, while Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel lead the chasing pack.
You can watch the Tour de France in Ireland for free on TG4 with Irish commentary. If you prefer English commentary, we’ve included a method for that too using Channel 5. But to access Channel 5/My5 outside the UK requires a VPN.
Recommended VPN - Surfshark
Your ISP, the Irish Government, and streaming platforms are Monitoring your Online Activity.
This means International Content staying Geo-blocked, Buffering, and even your entire Private Data can be Exposed to Third parties & Hackers.
Don’t take the risks…
Stay private, secure, & stream anything with Surfshark VPN for just $0.06/day!
With Surfshark You Can Get:
✅ 87% OFF + 3 EXTRA MONTHS FREE! (€1.99 /mo.)
✅ Access geo-blocked content worldwide.
✅ Unlimited connections
✅ 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee
✅ Kill Switch to protect you if the VPN drops
✅ Verified No-logs policy
✅ Everlink technology which helps you stay connected even when server drops
When & Where Is the Tour de France 2026 Happening?
Cycling · 113th Edition
Tour de France 2026
July 4-26
4x Winner
How to Watch the Tour de France 2026 in Ireland for Free
TG4 holds exclusive live rights to the Tour de France in Ireland, and has just extended its deal to broadcast the race free-to-air until 2030. Every stage streams live on the TV channel, TG4 Player, and the TG4 App, with Irish commentary from Páidí Ó Lionáird and Pádraic Ó Cuinn.
If you miss it live, don’t worry! Daily highlights air every evening at 9 PM Irish time. No sign-up or subscription needed.
Here is how to watch the Tour de France in Ireland for free:
Step 1: Go to the TG4 website.
Step 2: Click on See and then select TG4 Live.
Step 3: Enjoy the Tour once it goes live!
How to Watch the Tour de France 2026 in Ireland on Channel 5
After ITV lost its broadcasting rights, Channel 5 is officially the new free-to-air home for Grand Tour cycling highlights in the UK.
For Irish viewers looking for a free, English-language option, this is the perfect alternative to a paid streaming subscription. All you need is a VPN to access Channel 5’s streaming platform, My5.
Step 1: Download the Surfshark VPN App and connect to the UK server.
Step 2: Tap the three-line menu icon in the top right corner of the home page
Step 3: Select “TV Guide”
Step 4: Navigate to Saturday the 4th on the schedule and tap the “Tour de France 2026” card
Step 5: Click the “Sign in to watch” button
Step 6: Enter your account details or choose “Register here” to start streaming
Schedule of the Tour de France 2026
Here is the schedule of the Tour de France 2026 in Irish time. All stages are available live on TG4:
| Date | Stage | Route | Start Time (Irish) | Finish Time (Irish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, July 4 | Stage 1 | Barcelona → Barcelona (19.6 km) | 4:00 PM | 6:15 PM |
| Sun, July 5 | Stage 2 | Tarragona → Barcelona (168.5 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Mon, July 6 | Stage 3 | Granollers → Les Angles (195.9 km) | 11:00 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Tue, July 7 | Stage 4 | Carcassonne → Foix (181.9 km) | 11:30 AM | 4:15 PM |
| Wed, July 8 | Stage 5 | Lannemezan → Pau (158.3 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Thu, July 9 | Stage 6 | Pau → Gavarnie-Gèdre (186.2 km) | 11:00 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Fri, July 10 | Stage 7 | Hagetmau → Bordeaux (175.1 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Sat, July 11 | Stage 8 | Périgueux → Bergerac (180.4 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Sun, July 12 | Stage 9 | Malemort → Ussel (185.5 km) | 11:30 AM | 4:15 PM |
| Mon, July 13 | Rest Day | Cantal | — | — |
| Tue, July 14 | Stage 10 | Aurillac → Le Lioran (166.6 km) | 11:30 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Wed, July 15 | Stage 11 | Vichy → Nevers (161.3 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Thu, July 16 | Stage 12 | Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours → Chalon-sur-Saône (179.1 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Fri, July 17 | Stage 13 | Dole → Belfort (205.8 km) | 11:00 AM | 4:15 PM |
| Sat, July 18 | Stage 14 | Mulhouse → Le Markstein Fellering (155.3 km) | 11:30 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Sun, July 19 | Stage 15 | Champagnole → Plateau de Solaison (183.9 km) | 11:00 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Mon, July 20 | Rest Day | Haute-Savoie | — | — |
| Tue, July 21 | Stage 16 | Évian-les-Bains → Thonon-les-Bains (26.1 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:30 PM |
| Wed, July 22 | Stage 17 | Chambéry → Voiron (174.7 km) | 12:00 PM | 4:15 PM |
| Thu, July 23 | Stage 18 | Voiron → Orcières-Merlette (185.2 km) | 11:00 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Fri, July 24 | Stage 19 | Gap → Alpe d'Huez (127.9 km) | 11:30 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Sat, July 25 | Stage 20 | Le Bourg-d'Oisans → Alpe d'Huez (170.9 km) | 10:30 AM | 4:30 PM |
| Sun, July 26 | Stage 21 | Thoiry → Paris, Champs-Élysées (133 km) | 3:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
Other Sports Leagues to Watch in Ireland
If you’re a sports fan, here’s a list of top international sports leagues you can catch in Ireland.
- Watch Wimbledon in Ireland
- Watch the FIFA World Cup in Ireland
- Watch Formula 1 in Ireland
- Watch the Lions Tour in Ireland
- Watch UFC in Ireland
FAQs – Tour de France 2026
1. Where can I watch the Tour de France?
You can watch it live in Ireland for free on TG4. For English commentary, you’ll need a TNT Sports subscription on HBO Max, accessed via a VPN like Surfshark connected to a UK server.
2. What is the total distance of the Tour de France 2026?
The 2026 race covers 3,333 kilometres across 21 stages over 23 days, with 54,450 metres of total elevation gain.
3. Where does the Tour de France 2026 start and finish?
The race starts in Barcelona on July 4 with a team time trial and finishes in Paris on July 26 with the traditional Champs-Élysées sprint.
4. Is the Tour de France still free to watch in the UK?
No. ITV no longer holds rights to the race from 2026 onward. TNT Sports (via HBO Max) now has exclusive English-language rights in the UK, priced from £25.99/mo.
5. Who is the defending Tour de France champion?
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) is the defending champion, chasing a record-equalling fifth overall title in 2026.
Conclusion
The 2026 Tour de France kicks off in Barcelona on July 4 and finishes in Paris on July 26, promising three weeks of racing across 3,333 km, including a rare team time trial opener and a punishing back-to-back Alpe d’Huez finale.
In Ireland, you can stream every stage live and free on TG4 with Irish commentary. If you prefer English commentary, you can watch it via TNT Sports on HBO Max with the help of a VPN like Surfshark.
