Ohio State vs Alabama live stream: how to watch 2021 National Championship anywhere

Ohio State vs Alabama live stream college football championship 2021
(Image credit: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

The latest college football season comes to a head tonight as two of the country's elite programs clash in the 2021 National Championship. The game sees No. 1 ranked Alabama and No. 3 Ohio State take center stage at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. So read on for how to get an Ohio State vs Alabama live stream and watch the college football playoff final online wherever you are in the world right now

Both teams have more than earned their right for a shot at the biggest collegiate prize of them all. Alabama are the top-ranked school in the country and enter as heavy favorites for tonight's National Championship Game, with an undefeated 12-0 record still in tact.

Ohio State vs Alabama: live stream National Championship Game

Date: Monday January 11, 2021

Time: 8pm ET / 5pm PT/ 1am GMT /12pm AEDT

Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami 

US TV channel: ESPN

Live stream: get ESPN with a FREE fuboTV trial now

Watch anywhere: try our No. 1 rated VPN 100% risk-free

Most recently, the Crimson Tide knocked off No. 4 Notre Dame 31-14 in the 2021 Rose Bowl - which represented one of two college football semi-final games this season.

On the same weekend, Ohio State did what few people though would be possible - knocking Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers out of this year's college football playoffs. Not only that, they did it in a more than convincing manner, winning the 2021 Sugar Bowl semi-final game 49-28 to go 7-0 on their shortened season - but no one's ruling them out of winning it all now.

Tonight's National Championship therefore kicks-off as as an absolutely captivating game - and one which sees two of the nation's best quarterbacks go head-to-head in Alabama's Mac Jones and Ohio State's Justin Fields. There will also be a fascinating battle of experience vs youth taking place on the sidelines, as legendary 69-year-old college football coach Nick Saban of the Crimson Tide squares off against 41-year-old Buckeyes maestro Ryan Day.

Follow our guide below as we explain how to get an Ohio State vs Alabama live stream and watch college football's 2021 National Championship game online from anywhere this Monday.


How to watch Ohio State vs Alabama from outside your country

If you've mismatched a holiday or you're away on business and you want to watch your country's coverage from abroad, then you'll need to use a VPN. This will help you dial in to a location back in your home country to avoid geo-blocks and regain access to the content and services you already pay for back home.

A VPN is generally perfect for this as it allows you to change your IP address so you appear to be in a completely different location when the big game is on. 

Use a VPN to stream college football live from anywhere

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Ohio State vs Alabama live stream college football national championship

Ohio State vs Alabama live stream: how to watch college football National Championship in US

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Tonight's Ohio State vs Alabama college football playoff final game is being shown by ESPN, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm/5pm.

Fans with either channel as part of a cable package should be able to simply head to the <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X363&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2F&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - espn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ESPN website to get a college football National Championship live stream in the US tonight.

For cord-cutters, both channels are also available through select over-the-top streaming services - and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/welcome?irad=366904&irmp=221109&subId1=hawk-custom-tracking" data-link-merchant="fubo.tv"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - espn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">fuboTV is our top recommendation for most people right now.

We recommend it because it's very affordable compared to full-fat cable and represents a genuine alternative, with an entry-level Family plan getting you over 100 channels for just $64.99 a month - but check out its <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/welcome?irad=366904&irmp=221109&subId1=hawk-custom-tracking" data-link-merchant="fubo.tv"" data-link-merchant="fubo.tv"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - espn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">7-day FREE trial first to see if it's right for you.

You can also easily stream from your fuboTV account when you're abroad - just <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fexpressvpn.com%2Ftechradar%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="fubo.tv"" data-link-merchant="fubo.tv"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - espn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">grab a good VPN and your'll be back with the same access you'd have at home in no time at all, from the big game to your favorite shows.

Ohio State vs Alabama live stream college football national championship

Ohio State vs Alabama: live stream college football National Championship and how to watch in Canada

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Canadian college football fans are in luck tonight, as cable broadcaster <a href="https://www.tsn.ca/" data-link-merchant="tsn.ca"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TSN is showing the big Ohio State vs Alabama game from 7.30pm ET / 4.30pm ahead an 8pm/5pm kick-off time.

You can watch the 2021 National Championship game on TV, where it's TSN 1/3/5 - but the network also offers a streaming-only option in the form of its <a href="https://www.tsn.ca/subscribe" data-link-merchant="tsn.ca"" data-link-merchant="tsn.ca"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TSN Direct service.

This costs just $7.99 a day (before tax) if all you want to do is get a Ohio State vs Alabama live stream right now - or you can save a fair chunk of change by going for the $19.99 monthly plan.

And remember, anyone in Canada from a country where that offers additional ways to live stream has the option of <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fexpressvpn.com%2Ftechradar%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="tsn.ca"" data-link-merchant="tsn.ca"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">grabbing hold of an effective VPN and following our instructions above.

watch college football live stream alabama vs ohio state uk

College football live stream UK: how to watch Alabama vs Ohio State National Championship game

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Select college football games have been shown by <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=3041&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Fsport%2Fbuy" data-link-merchant="bt.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">BT Sport in the UK throughout the current season - and it's safe to say that tonight's Alabama vs Ohio State National Championship game is one of them!

You can watch the college football playoff final action from 12.30am GMT ahead of a 1am kick-off.

BT TV customers can add BT Sport to their service for <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=3041&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Fsport%2Fbuy" data-link-merchant="bt.com"" data-link-merchant="bt.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">just £10 extra a month . If you don't want the commitment of a full BT TV contract, there's now also the option of the BT Sport Monthly Pass.

Want to catch the college football action in the UK just like you would at home? Or tune back into your UK streaming service from abroad? Then <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fexpressvpn.com%2Ftechradar%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="bt.com"" data-link-merchant="bt.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">grabbing a VPN will let you log into a compatible IP address so you can live stream as usual

college football live stream alabama vs ohio state national championship

College football Championship live stream: Ohio State vs Alabama 2021

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For those Down Under, Ohio State vs Alabama is on the menu tonight, so Buckeyes and Crimson Tide fans are in luck. 

The host network is <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X363&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxtel.com.au%2F&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" rel="nofollow">Foxtel, so if you've got a pay TV package complete with ESPN, then its <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X363&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxtel.com.au%2Ffoxtel-go.html&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Foxtel Go app should let you live stream the game wherever you are. 

But if you don't, you can still live stream the 2021 National Championship game online via <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X363&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgoto.kayosports.com.au%2Fc%2F338476%2F549912%2F8808&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Kayo Sports .

It's the official over-the-top provider for Foxtel and offers extensive streaming-only coverage of all the Aussie network giant's sports channels, including Fox Sports, ESPN and ESPN2, and beIN Sports.

Plans start at just AUD$25 a month and the best bit is you can try a <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X363&xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgoto.kayosports.com.au%2Fc%2F338476%2F549912%2F8808&sref" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FREE 14-day Kayo trial, so if you're looking just to watch a specific game or two, you might not even end up paying a penny.

Ohio State vs Alabama kick-off is set for 11am AEDT in the morning - of Tuesday, January 12 - - and Aussies abroad can watch just like they would at home with the help of <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fexpressvpn.com%2Ftechradar%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - kayosports.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" data-link-merchant="SkimLinks - foxtel.com.au"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">a good VPN.

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.