The biggest political debate of the year has already taken place The two candidates for President of the United States traded opening blows in the race for the White House, and the first live presidential debate of the 2024 election was CNN's must-see show (not necessarily for the right reasons) But even if you missed the live broadcast, you could potentially watch it from anywhere with a VPN, and for free

Later this summer, Joe Biden and Donald Trump will become the official Democratic and Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential election Until now, the campaign has been conducted through sound bites and speeches given within arm's reach, but on Thursday, June 27, the two came face to face in the campaign's first live televised debate on CNN

The first presidential debate between Trump and Biden in September 2020 drew more than 73 million viewers, and while this one may not match that number, the 90-minute slugfest drew more viewers than any other program this year

The rules regarding eligibility and debate format can be found below Click here for free live streaming of the first US presidential debate from anywhere in the world

If you are not at home for the live broadcast of the first televised debate of the 2024 presidential election, you can still watch via a virtual private network, or VPN, which makes it look like you are surfing the web from home and have already paid a fee Allows you to access streaming services It's legal and easy

We've tested a variety of VPN services, and our favorite is NordVPN, which offers great speeds, excellent customer service, and a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee, so try it first and see if it works for you! Give it a try and see if it's right for you But there are other VPN options as well, so check out our full list of the best VPN services

Using a VPN is incredibly easy

1 Install the VPN of your choice As we have mentioned, NordVPN is our favorite

2 select the location you want to connect to with the VPN app For example, if you are in the UK and want to see your usual US service, select US from the list

3 Sit back and enjoy the action Access PBS and watch the 2024 presidential debate live online

The 2024 CNN presidential debates are naturally available on CNN

If you're done with cable, there are plenty of options Our top pick is Sling TV, with Sling Blue packages starting at $40/month (depending on region) with a discount for the first month, with over 30 channels including CNN You can also watch CNN on Sling Orange, which also starts at $40/month with a first-time discount

The debates are available across the CNN brand, including CNN International via Hulu, CNN en Español, CNN Max via Max, and the CNN website

Many news organizations will simulcast the debate, including ABC, MSNBC, CBS, Fox, Fox News, and Bloomberg US viewers may also watch for free as part of a new PBS special, but in either case, check your local programming listings

A free stream of the debate is also available on CNN's YouTube channel

Another cord-cutting option is Philo, where the debates can be viewed live on the USA Today channel, available as part of the $28/month Philo Core Plan

If you already use these services but are not in the US right now, don't panic: with a VPN such as NordVPN, you can watch a live stream of the 2024 CNN presidential debate

As in the US, all major CNN channels broadcast the first televised debate between President Biden and Donald Trump, and Sky TV users in the UK had the chance to tune in to channel 506 at 2 am

But don't worry, you can watch it in full on CNN's YouTube channel

But even if you are overseas and cannot access your account because you are geographically blocked, you can still follow every one of the well-rehearsed words by using one of the best VPN services such as NordVPN

If you are in the Great White North, coverage of the debate and what it might mean for Canada can be found on CTVNewsca, the CTV News app, and the CTV News Channel at 8 pm ET with Vassy Kapelos anchoring "Power Play" beginning at 9 pm ET, followed by the 2024 CNN Presidential Debate live from the CNN Atlanta studios It will also be broadcast for free on the CBC News Network and streamed on the CBCNews website and the CBC Gem app

Are you traveling abroad for work or vacation and want to access the coverage from home? No need to panic, just use one of the best VPN services available, like NordVPN

In Australia, the entire debate could be watched live from Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, June 28 at 11:00 am AEST

In Australia, the debate was televised on CNN via Foxtel, as well as on SBS and SBS On Demand for free

If you want to get all the details, you can re-watch the entire debate on CNN's YouTube channel

Are you traveling abroad for work or vacation and want to access the coverage from home? No need to panic Just use the best VPN service, and NordVPN is our top recommendation among the options

In order to [qualify] to participate in the live debate, candidates had to not only file a formal statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, but also meet the requirements outlined in Article II, Section 1 of the US Constitution to serve as president

Also, according to the parameters set by CNN in May: "All participating pundits appeared on enough statewide ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold for winning the presidential election and for registered or likely voters who meet CNN's reporting criteria must receive at least 15% of the vote in four separate national polls"

[Polls that meet this standard include CNN, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, Marquette University Law School, Monmouth University, NBC News, The New York Times/Siena College, NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist College The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Quinnipiac University, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post are sponsoring the event

To the anger and outrage of Robert F Kennedy Jr Biden and Trump were the only candidates to meet these criteria

The two have agreed to participate in another debate hosted by ABC on September 10

Veteran CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate It will last 90 minutes and include two commercial breaks

Both candidates will flip a coin to determine their position at the podium and the order of their final remarks Biden will appear on the right side of the screen and Trump on its left

As part of the deal, the former president will get the last word, as Biden chose to deliver his closing remarks first

Both candidates will stand during the debate

Candidates are prohibited from interacting with advisors or members of the campaign team during the event, especially during commercial breaks

No props or pre-written notes are allowed on stage Only pens, notepads, and a bottle of water are permitted

Unlike previous confrontations, candidates will have their microphones muted except when it is their turn to speak

There will also be no studio audience; CNN intends to "enforce timing and ensure a civil debate"