Rai TV — also known as Radiotelevisione Italiana — is Italy’s national public broadcasting network. With dozens of channels like Rai 1, Rai 2, Rai 3, Rai News 24, and Rai Sport, it’s the beating heart of Italian culture, entertainment, and current affairs. From gripping dramas and international sports events to political debates and news updates, Rai TV is the go-to destination for millions of Italians.
But here’s the catch 👉 Rai TV is geo-blocked. That means if you’re living in or traveling to the US, you’ll quickly notice a frustrating error message on your screen:
❌ “The streaming of this content is not available in italy only. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
So how can you watch Rai TV in the US? The answer lies in using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) — a tool that allows you to change your digital location and access Rai TV as if you were streaming directly from Rome, Milan, or Florence.
Here’s the simple process to watch Rai TV in the US with the help of a VPN.
If you’re living in or traveling to the United States 🇺🇸, you’ll quickly notice that Rai TV doesn’t work the way it does back in Italy. The reason for this is something called geo-restrictions 🔒.
Rai, like most major broadcasters worldwide, limits where its content can be streamed because of licensing agreements and broadcasting rules.
For example, when Rai purchases the rights to air movies 🎬, TV series 📺, or even live sporting events ⚽, those rights are often valid for Italy only. Another network may already own the rights to show the same program in the US, which legally prevents Rai from broadcasting it abroad.
Advertising also plays a huge role 💰. Companies and sponsors that run commercials on Rai pay specifically to reach Italian audiences, not viewers thousands of miles away in America. Broadcasting the same content outside Italy would reduce the value of those advertising contracts.
On top of this, Rai is partly funded by the Italian government 🏛️ through a public broadcasting tax that Italian citizens pay each year, which means its priority is serving people in Italy rather than international viewers.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) works like a digital disguise 🎭 that tricks Rai TV into thinking you’re in Italy even if you’re sitting on your couch in the US. Normally, Rai checks your IP address 🌍 to decide whether you can watch its content.
If it sees you’re outside Italy, it blocks the stream immediately. But when you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is rerouted through a secure server in Italy. This gives you an Italian IP address, so when you visit RaiPlay, the platform believes you’re inside the country and happily lets you stream all its shows, live TV, and sports. 🎉
The process is very simple: you open the VPN app, select a server in Italy, and within seconds your online identity looks Italian. As a result, you can access Rai 1, Rai 2, Rai 3, Rai Sport, Rai News 24 and all other Rai channels without restrictions 📺.
What’s even better is that VPNs don’t just unlock Rai TV — they come with extra benefits too. A good VPN encrypts your internet connection 🔐, keeping your browsing safe from hackers and snooping ISPs.
It also improves streaming performance 🚀, since top VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN are optimized for HD and 4K content. And because they can change your location to almost anywhere in the world 🌎, you’re not limited to Rai — you can also watch Italian favorites like Mediaset Infinity, Sky Italia, TimVision, and Netflix Italy.
In short, a VPN is the key 🔑 that bypasses the frustrating “not available in your country” error and gives you unlimited access to Italian TV, no matter where you are.
To stream RaiPlay smoothly in the US, you need a premium VPN that offers fast Italian servers, strong privacy, and consistent streaming performance. After testing several options, two stand out as the most reliable: ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Both are excellent, but each has its strengths. Let’s take a closer look.
ExpressVPN is widely considered the best option for streaming Rai TV abroad 🥇. With over 3,000 servers across 105 countries 🌍, including multiple high-speed locations in Italy, it gives you seamless access to Rai TV, Netflix Italy, Sky Italia, Disney+, and many more platforms.
ExpressVPN is known for its unmatched reliability and lightning-fast speeds, making it the perfect choice for watching Rai content in HD or even 4K.
Key Features of ExpressVPN:
💰 Pricing (2025 Update): Plans start at $6.67/month with a yearly subscription (plus 3 free months). Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
👉 If you want a smooth, stress-free Rai TV streaming experience in the US, ExpressVPN is unbeatable.
NordVPN is another premium option that works perfectly with Rai TV 🥈. With a massive network of 7,100+ servers in 111 countries 🌎, including many in Italy, NordVPN ensures stable access to RaiPlay, Mediaset Infinity, La7, TimVision, and Netflix Italy. It’s especially popular for its balance of speed, privacy, and price, making it an excellent all-rounder.
Key Features of NordVPN:
💰 Pricing (2025 Update): Long-term plans start at just $3.79/month (2-year deal). Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
👉 NordVPN is a fantastic choice if you want fast Rai TV streaming with advanced privacy features and great value for money.
Good news 👉 Rai TV is free! 🎉
All you need is:
Steps:
💡 Tip: RaiPlay also has mobile apps on iOS & Android, and you can cast it to your Smart TV.
Once you have a VPN, Rai TV is just the start. You can also enjoy:
👉 With ExpressVPN or NordVPN, you unlock the entire Italian digital ecosystem.
Rai TV isn’t just another channel. It’s a complete streaming universe offering:
Basically, Rai TV gives you a full Italian TV experience from anywhere. 🌍
Yes ✅. Rai TV through RaiPlay is completely free. You just need to create a free account and connect to a VPN with Italian servers to stream from the US.
Rai TV is geo-blocked 🔒 because of licensing rights, advertising contracts, and broadcasting rules. Without an Italian IP address, you’ll see the error message “This content is not available in your country.”
ExpressVPN 🥇 is the most reliable with top speeds, while NordVPN ⚡ is a great budget-friendly option with strong privacy tools. Both unblock Rai TV smoothly.
Yes 📺. Download the RaiPlay app, or use ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer Smart DNS to stream Rai on devices that don’t support VPN apps directly.
Rai TV is the heart of Italian entertainment 🇮🇹, offering everything from gripping dramas 🎭 and blockbuster movies 🎬 to breaking news 📰, cultural shows 🎶, and live sports ⚽. Unfortunately, if you’re in the US 🇺🇸, you’ll quickly run into frustrating geo-restrictions that block you from enjoying this treasure trove of content.
The solution is simple: use a VPN. By connecting to a VPN server in Italy, you instantly get an Italian IP address 🌍, which unlocks RaiPlay as if you were watching from Rome or Milan. Among the many options available, ExpressVPN stands out as the best for its unmatched speed 🚀 and reliability, while NordVPN offers a strong mix of performance, security 🔐, and affordability 💰.
So whether you’re an Italian expat missing home, a student abroad, or just a fan of Italian culture and sports, a VPN ensures you never miss out on Rai TV again. 🎉 All it takes is three quick steps: get a VPN, connect to an Italian server, and start streaming. Easy, secure, and effective!
👉 Grab your VPN today, prepare your espresso ☕, and enjoy the very best of Italian TV from anywhere in the US.