How to watch Hard Knocks: Los Angeles online - stream HBO's new season from anywhere

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By James Laird
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Go inside the most dramatic season in NFL history

watch hard knocks online
(Image credit: NFL.com/HBO)

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.

Hard Knocks: Los Angeles cheat sheet

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.

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.

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While there are hundreds of VPNs to choose from, we always recommend ExpressVPN. As well as being fast, simple, and straightforward to install, it's also compatible with a whole host of devices - Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS and Android to name some of the main ones.

Plus, ExpressVPN's flexible 30-day money back guarantee is difficult to argue with. Even better, you can purchase an annual plan for a 49% discount and 3 months extra FREE – a brilliant offer for an essential bit of software.

Once installed, select the location of your home country and simply click connect to watch Hard Knocks at home from anywhere on the planet.

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How to watch Hard Knocks for FREE in the US

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New episodes of Hard Knocks: Los Angeles air Tuesday nights on HBO, starting on August 11 at 10pm ET/PT on the network's linear TV channel. Additional episodes will air on subsequent Tuesdays at the same times through the season finale on September 8.

You'll also be able to watch them without cable, as soon as they've aired, via the new HBO Max streaming service, which is affordably priced at just $14.99 a month and even offers a free 7-day trial.

There's an even more-free option, too, over on the Chargers' YouTube channel, where episode one will be available free to watch for one-week.

Out of the country? More on that below, but in a nutshell: anyone from America who wants to sign up to HBO Max from abroad can do so by using a VPN - you'll need to verify your US credit card details and address as part of the sign up process, so make sure to have these to hand for the utmost convenience.

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How to watch Hard Knocks free in Australia

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Over in Australia, over-the-top streaming service Kayo Sports will be showing new Hard Knocks episodes from Sunday, August 16 - a few days after the US, but still better than what's on offer elsewhere.

Kayo is available from just $25 a month - and it comes with a FREE 2-week trial period so you can see how it works for yourself. It's also home to comprehensive NRL and AFL coverage, making it a great all-around choice for Aussies, while expats and fans of other sports will enjoy its coverage of soccer, golf, tennis, NBA basketball and much more.

In Australia from abroad an don't want to sign-up for another service, when you already pay for one at home? Then simply follow our VPN advice as detailed above to get a taste of home.

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How to watch Hard Knocks in Canada

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A release date hasn't been confirmed, but Crave is HBO's network partner of choice in Canada and the place to go for the latest HBO shows north of the border.

Crave offers HBO as well as Starz and Showtime content and had be had from just on offer - plus there's a free 30-day trial on offer. 

Anyone in Canada from abroad who'd prefer to watch using a different service need only use a VPN to relocate themselves back to their home country.

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Does Hard Knocks: Los Angeles have a UK release date?

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Hard Knocks: Los Angeles isn't landing in the UK right away, but HBO does often send its most popular shows on holiday - and Sky Atlantic is usually the place to catch them. In this case though, a UK release date for Hard Knocks hasn't been confirmed.

But for now, the only option is for those in the UK from a country where it is possible to watch Hard Knocks. They can just grab a VPN as described above and stream episodes as they normally would. 

It's worth noting though that you may require a credit card registered to the country that service is based into sign-up, so have this to hand for maximum convenience.

James Laird
James Laird

James is a technology journalist with nearly 10 years experience and currently Sports and TV Streaming Editor at Future, where he works across TechRadar, T3 and Tom's Guide. He is here to help you find the best ways to watch sports, TV shows and movies online. Previously, he was News and Features Editor at Trusted Reviews, Editor of Lifehacker UK, and Senior Staff Writer at ITProPortal.