Where to watch the Rugby League World Cup 2026? In Australia, Seven and 7plus show all 53 matches live and free, from the opener on Thursday, October 15, to the finals on Sunday, November 15. The UK and Ireland watch on Premier Sports, and the USA gets every game through a US$25 Premier Sports Player pass.
The tournament is spread across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Defending champions Australia open against New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Sydney at 8:05 p.m. AEDT. One note for newcomers: this is rugby league, the 13-a-side code, not rugby union.
The catch: 7plus is only available in Australia, so an Aussie on holiday in Bali can’t open the free stream. Below are the broadcasters by country, every kickoff in AEDT, UK time and ET, and how to reach 7plus from abroad.
Confirmed broadcasters as of October 8, 2026:
Country | Where to watch | Free? |
|---|---|---|
Australia | Seven, 7plus Sport (all 53 games) | Yes |
New Zealand | Sky Sport; Three, ThreeNow | Partly, on Three |
United Kingdom | Premier Sports | No |
Ireland | Premier Sports | No |
USA | Premier Sports Player | No, US$25 pass |
Canada | Premier Sports streaming service | No |
Papua New Guinea | Digicel TV | Not confirmed |
Pacific (Tonga) | Digicel TV, DTV app | Not confirmed |
Rest of world | Premier Sports Player (129 countries) | No, US$25 pass |
Seven holds the exclusive Australian rights: all three tournaments go out live on Seven and 7plus Sport, the free streaming service from Seven, plus replays and highlights. Triple M and LiSTNR carry 11 matches on radio.
In the UK and Ireland, Premier Sports holds the rights for the third time, after 2013 and 2017. According to the IRL, it shows every match from all three tournaments live, all 18 men’s games included. Neither the BBC nor Sky Sports has the tournament.
In the USA, the Premier Sports Player streams all 53 matches live on iOS, Android and the web. The RLWC26 Pass costs US$25 once and covers 129 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Switzerland, Germany and Austria aren’t on that list, with no broadcaster announced there as of October 8, 2026. Canada gets a dedicated Premier Sports rugby streaming service.
Digicel TV shows every match in Papua New Guinea; local free-to-air details aren’t confirmed yet. Tonga watches on Digicel TV and the DTV app. Samoa, Fiji and the Cook Islands: not announced yet.
Only in two countries. Australia gets all 53 matches live on Seven and 7plus, where the only cost is a free account. New Zealand gets part of the tournament free on Three and ThreeNow. Everywhere else you pay, or there’s no coverage. There is no official free worldwide stream.
Sky Sport Now and Sky show every match live in New Zealand, with Māori-language commentary for Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns games on Sky Sport Select. Free coverage sits on Three and ThreeNow: every Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns match, both finals and selected games, some live on ThreeNow but delayed on Three.
Mind the opener: New Zealand vs Australia on October 15 is live to delayed on Three and ThreeNow, so watch Sky Sport for the full live game. The Three TV schedule shows what airs when.
Both free options stop at the border: 7plus works only in Australia, ThreeNow only in New Zealand. Abroad, you get an error screen instead of the match. A VPN solves that.
Streaming apps check your IP address before playing anything. A VPN from our table gives you an Australian connection: open 7plus, sign in with your free account and every game plays as it would at home. It also helps fans in countries with no broadcaster, such as Switzerland. 7plus stays free; the VPN only changes your virtual location.
| VPN Service | Price | 7plus | Tested | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NordVPNBEST | From $2.99/mo | ✓ Works | October 4 | Try it |
 Surfshark | From $1.78/mo | ✓ Works | October 4 | Open |
 ExpressVPN | From $2.79/mo | ✓ Works | October 4 | Open |
 Private Internet Access | From $1.79/mo | ✓ Works | October 3 | Open |
 CyberGhost | From $1.75/mo | ✓ Works | October 1 | Open |
 IPVanish | From $2.19/mo | ✓ Works | October 5 | Open |
 ProtonVPN | From $3.59/mo | ✓ Works | October 5 | Open |
✓ Works✓ Works✓ Works✓ Works✓ Works✓ Works✓ WorksRankings in the table are based on StreamFix data, and our VPN ranking methodology explains how each provider is scored. British fans overseas can also see how to watch UK streaming services from anywhere.
Pick a VPN from the table
Choose one that currently works with 7plus according to StreamFix data.
Install the app
Put it on the phone, laptop or TV you plan to watch on.
Connect to a server in Australia
Any Australian location works for 7plus.
Sign in to 7plus
Create a free account or log in to the one you already have.
Open 7plus Sport and press play
Start the stream a few minutes before kickoff.
Times are converted from the official UTC fixtures. AEDT is Sydney time; New Zealand (NZDT) is two hours ahead. UK clocks go back on October 25, US clocks on November 1. Local kickoffs in Perth, Queensland and Port Moresby are earlier: England vs France starts at 2:35 p.m. in Perth. In Australia, the Seven TV guide lists each broadcast.
Match | Date and time (AEDT / UK / ET) |
|---|---|
Australia vs New Zealand, Sydney | Thu Oct 15: 8:05 p.m. / 10:05 a.m. / 5:05 a.m. |
Samoa vs France, Sydney | Fri Oct 16: 5:45 p.m. / 7:45 a.m. / 2:45 a.m. |
PNG vs Lebanon, Port Moresby | Sat Oct 17: 3:25 p.m. / 5:25 a.m. / 12:25 a.m. |
England vs Tonga, Perth | Sat Oct 17: 8:05 p.m. / 10:05 a.m. / 5:05 a.m. |
Fiji vs Cook Islands, Newcastle | Sun Oct 18: 4:05 p.m. / 6:05 a.m. / 1:05 a.m. |
On the US West Coast, some games fall the evening before: Samoa vs France starts Thursday, October 15, at 11:45 p.m. PT.
Match | Date and time (AEDT / UK / ET) |
|---|---|
Tonga vs Lebanon, Sydney | Fri Oct 23: 8:05 p.m. / 10:05 a.m. / 5:05 a.m. |
PNG vs Samoa, Port Moresby | Sat Oct 24: 3:25 p.m. / 5:25 a.m. / 12:25 a.m. |
England vs France, Perth | Sat Oct 24: 5:35 p.m. / 7:35 a.m. / 2:35 a.m. |
New Zealand vs Cook Islands, Christchurch | Sun Oct 25: 4:05 p.m. / 5:05 a.m. / 1:05 a.m. |
Australia vs Fiji, Brisbane | Sun Oct 25: 8:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. / 5:05 a.m. |
Match | Date and time (AEDT / UK / ET) |
|---|---|
England vs PNG, Wollongong | Fri Oct 30: 8:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. / 5:05 a.m. |
New Zealand vs Fiji, Gold Coast | Sat Oct 31: 3:30 p.m. / 4:30 a.m. / 12:30 a.m. |
Australia vs Cook Islands, Townsville | Sat Oct 31: 8:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. / 5:05 a.m. |
Lebanon vs France, Sydney | Sun Nov 1: 5:40 p.m. / 6:40 a.m. / 1:40 a.m. |
Tonga vs Samoa, Sydney | Sun Nov 1: 8:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. / 4:05 a.m. |
Semifinal 1, Newcastle | Sat Nov 7: 8:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. / 4:05 a.m. |
Semifinal 2, Sydney | Sun Nov 8: 8:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. / 4:05 a.m. |
Final, Brisbane | Sun Nov 15: 7:35 p.m. / 8:35 a.m. / 3:35 a.m. |
The final kicks off at 6:35 p.m. AEST, local time in Brisbane.
Ten men’s teams, three pools:
Pool A: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands
Pool B: England, Samoa, Lebanon
Pool C: Tonga, Papua New Guinea, France
Pools B and C are linked: each team plays the three sides from the other pool, and the results feed one combined B/C ladder. The top two from Pool A and the top two from the combined ladder reach the semifinals on November 7 in Newcastle and November 8 in Sydney.
New to the sport? Each side fields 13 players, and rugby league runs under its own laws, separate from rugby union.
The facts first. Australia are the defending champions after beating Samoa in the 2022 final at Old Trafford. Kevin Walters coaches the Kangaroos, Isaah Yeo is captain, and Walters has backed Latrell Mitchell as the gamebreaker in a squad with James Tedesco, Reece Walsh and Cameron Munster.
New Zealand have Stacey Jones as head coach and James Fisher-Harris as captain again. Kalyn Ponga headlines four potential debutants, and Dane Gagai joins the Kiwis squad for the first time. Ben Gardiner’s Samoa bring Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai.
Our pick, an editorial opinion and not a betting tip: Australia to retain the title, with New Zealand the biggest threat. On the B/C ladder, England, Samoa and Tonga should fight for two semifinal spots.
England, not Great Britain, play here. Brian McDermott named a 23-man squad with George Williams as captain again. England open against Tonga on Saturday, October 17, then face France on Saturday, October 24, both at HBF Park in Perth. Papua New Guinea follow at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on Friday, October 30.
For UK fans that means breakfast rugby: 10:05 a.m., 7:35 a.m. and 9:05 a.m. kickoffs, all live on Premier Sports. See our guide to streaming services in the UK for the rest.
Papua New Guinea host Lebanon on October 17 and Samoa on October 24 in Port Moresby, with Edwin Ipape and Rhyse Martin in the squad. KL Iro captains the Cook Islands in Pool A. Tonga, with Jason Taumalolo up front, meet 2022 finalists Samoa in Sydney on November 1.
The women’s event runs from October 16 to November 15. Pool A: Australia, England, Samoa, Wales. Pool B: New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, France, Fiji. The Jillaroos open against Fetu Samoa on October 16 in Sydney; the final is in Brisbane on November 15 at 3:10 p.m. AEST, before the men’s final.
The wheelchair tournament runs from October 30 to November 13 at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong. Pool A: England, Ireland, Wales, USA. Pool B: France, Australia, Scotland, New Zealand.
That adds 15 women’s and 20 wheelchair matches, all live on 7plus in Australia, on Premier Sports in the UK and Ireland, and on the Premier Sports Player in its 129 countries.
Check the server country. 7plus needs Australia; ThreeNow and Sky Sport Now need New Zealand.
Switch servers. Still blocked? Pick another server in the same country and reload.
Clear the cache. Clear cookies, use a private window or restart the app.
Check your 7plus account. Sign in to your free account before the match starts.
Test it early. Try your setup on the Australia vs New Zealand opener, not minutes before a semifinal.
Away from Australia during the tournament? Set up a VPN before the opener, connect to Australia and watch every game free on 7plus. This VPN tops our 7plus table right now:
Our best VPN comparison covers every provider. More sport: here’s where to watch India vs West Indies in the 4th T20I, and our guide to the Track Cycling World Championships 2026.
7plusOnly in Australia1 of 194tracked countriesIn Australia, every match is live and free on Seven and 7plus. Premier Sports has the rights in the UK and Ireland, Sky Sport and Three in New Zealand, and Digicel TV in Papua New Guinea. In 129 countries, the USA included, the Premier Sports Player streams all 53 matches with a US$25 pass; FOX, Fubo and beIN don’t have the tournament.
Use a VPN from the table in this guide, connect to a server in Australia and open 7plus with your free account. 7plus shows all 53 matches free, but only to Australian connections. Our list of streaming platforms by country shows what other services work where.
Using a VPN is legal in most countries. What a streaming service shows you over a VPN is up to that service, which is why it pays to pick a VPN from our table that currently works with 7plus according to StreamFix data.
Yes, in Australia: Seven and 7plus show all 53 matches live and free. In New Zealand, Three and ThreeNow show every Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns match, both finals and selected games free, some of them delayed. Everywhere else coverage is paid, and there is no official free worldwide stream.
No. Seven holds the exclusive Australian rights, so the tournament is on Seven and 7plus, not Kayo, Foxtel, Fox League, Stan or Nine. On radio, Triple M and LiSTNR carry 11 matches, both finals included.
No. Premier Sports has the exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland and, according to the IRL, shows every match from all three tournaments live, all 18 men’s games included. The BBC and Sky Sports don’t have the tournament this time.
The main slot is 8:05 p.m. AEDT, used for nine of the 18 men’s games. That’s 10:05 p.m. in New Zealand, 10:05 a.m. in the UK (9:05 a.m. from October 25) and 5:05 a.m. ET (4:05 a.m. from November 1). The opener, Australia vs New Zealand, kicks off on Thursday, October 15, at 8:05 p.m. AEDT.
The men’s final is on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, kicking off at 6:35 p.m. AEST. That’s 8:35 a.m. in the UK and 3:35 a.m. ET. The women’s final is earlier the same day at 3:10 p.m. AEST.
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