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How to Cancel The Athletic Subscription

Cancel The Athletic subscription

✓ No phone call needed

✓ Takes ~2 minutes

Free guide

The Athletic (~$7.99/month or $59.99/year) is an ad-free sports journalism platform covering in-depth reporting on major leagues. Owned by The New York Times since 2022.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Go to theathletic.com and sign in

Click your profile icon → Account Settings

Select Subscription

Click Cancel Subscription

Confirm

Open Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions

Tap The Athletic

Tap Cancel Subscription

Open Google Play → Subscriptions

Tap The Athletic

Tap Cancel subscription

✅ What Happens After You Cancel

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Access continues until end of billing period

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All articles and podcasts accessible until expiry

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Saved articles and favorites preserved

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Resubscribe anytime for full access

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Refund policy: The Athletic offers refunds for annual subscriptions canceled within 30 days of purchase. Monthly subscriptions are not refunded. Contact support at theathletic.com/contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Athletic worth it for sports fans? ⌄

The Athletic excels at in-depth reporting, behind-the-scenes access, and long-form journalism. If you follow specific teams closely and want more than box scores, it's worth the price. It's especially strong for soccer, NFL, NBA, and MLB.

Does The Athletic have a free tier? ⌄

The Athletic offers limited free articles per month. After reaching the limit, a subscription is required. Some articles are permanently free.

Related Guides

About The Athletic Subscriptions

The Athletic (~$7.99/month or $59.99/year) is an ad-free sports journalism platform covering in-depth reporting on major leagues. Owned by The New York Times since 2022. This guide covers every platform — The Athletic Website, iPhone (App Store), Android (Google Play) — so you can cancel from whichever device you have handy.

Before You Cancel The Athletic

Before cancelling, check a few things: which platform you subscribed on (App Store, Google Play, or the website directly), since you must cancel in the same place you signed up. If you subscribed on the website, cancelling through your iPhone Settings won't work — and vice versa.

Also note your next billing date. The Athletic doesn't delete your account when you cancel — you keep access until the period ends. There's no penalty for cancelling early, but you won't get a refund for unused days unless stated in the refund policy above.

Can I Resubscribe After Cancelling?

Yes — you can resubscribe to The Athletic at any time. Your account data, preferences, and history are typically preserved for 30–90 days after cancellation, depending on the service. Simply log back in and choose a new plan.

What If I Can't Find the Cancel Button?

Some services intentionally bury the cancel option. Follow the exact steps above — if you still can't find it, check that you're logged into the correct account (some people have multiple accounts). You can also contact The Athletic support directly and request cancellation via chat or email — they are legally required to process it.