Get ready to feast your eyes again, football fans - HBO is back with another season of Hard Knocks, its acclaimed sports reality TV series that charts life in NFL training camps. This year marks the 16th run of the show and it's set to feature two teams for the first time, so read on as we explain how to watch Hard Knocks: Los Angeles and stream the new season from anywhere in the world.
The new season of Hard Knocks features both the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams. Episodes air every Tuesday night from August 11 at 10pm ET/PT on HBO in the US - meaning they're also available to stream on HBO Max. Global availability is limited by US residents away from home can always grab a VPN at nearly 50% off to use the same service they would at home.
As its moniker name indicates, this year's Hard Knocks is all about the city of Los Angeles and its two NFL teams, the Chargers in the AFC and Rams in the NFC. It's featuring both organizations because 2020 sees them play their inaugural seasons in the shared SoFi Stadium, based on Inglewood, California and billed as an "unprecedented and unparalleled sports and entertainment destination".
American actor Liev Schreiber returns as narrator of the show, though there are obviously going to be noticeable changes to previous runs, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For one, the lack of preseason games being played in 2020 removes a major focal point of training camp activity, as fight for starting sports and a place on the final 53-man roster. Still, with some 2,300 hours of footage shot to make-up the series, there's going to be plenty of action.
Two battles in particular that will be worth tuning in are the Chargers search for their first starting QB of the post-Philip Rivers era: a showdown that pits veteran signal caller Tyrod Taylor against rookie star Justin Herbert, who was taken with the sixth pick of this year's draft. And over in the Rams camp, star RB Todd Gurley finally has some real competition in town, in the form of 2nd round draft pick Cam Akers.
In addition, expect to get a fascinating look into life as a professional athlete under new coronavirus protocols; an insight into the anatomy of a stadium share; and also of the business side of the NFL, as the $5bn SoFi stadium is only now nearing completion with the 2020 season around the corner. Follow our guide below as we explain how to watch Hard Knocks online and stream the new Hard Knocks: Los Angeles season from anywhere in the world.
- Related: how to watch an MLB live stream
How to watch Hard Knocks from outside your country
Travelling abroad? Then trying to tune into HBO Max like you would from home is likely going to be impossible, because of geo-blocking restrictions.
Fortunately, there is a solution in the form of a VPN. This nifty bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access all the content you normally would at home, from anywhere in the world.
How to watch Hard Knocks for FREE in the US
How to watch Hard Knocks free in Australia
How to watch Hard Knocks in Canada
Does Hard Knocks: Los Angeles have a UK release date?
