How To Watch Rugby League World Cup 2026?
Are you a huge rugby league fan counting down the days until the Rugby League World Cup 2026 kicks off on 15 October?
The big question is where you can actually watch it live, because the answer depends on where in the world you are.
Here’s the short version for the three biggest audiences.
Australian fans can watch every match free on the Seven Network and 7plus, New Zealand fans can watch on Sky Sport, and UK fans can watch every match live on Premier Sports.
In other countries, coverage depends on local TV deals, which we cover below.
In this guide, we break down how to watch RLWC 2026 in every major region, with live stream options for each.
We’ll also show you how to book tickets if you’d rather watch it in the stadium.
How to Watch Rugby League World Cup 2026?
The Rugby League World Cup is starting from the 15th of October and will end on the 15th of November.
How to Watch the Rugby League World Cup? is one of the most asked questions by the fans. And it shows their enthusiasm and love for Rugby.
Here is exactly where you can watch it, broken down by region.
How to Watch Rugby League World Cup In Australia?
If you are in Australia, you are among the luckiest fans of all the Rugby League World Cup Fans.
Seven Network won the broadcasting rights for RLWC 2026 in a $12 million deal confirmed in October 2025.
That means every single match in Australia, Men’s, Women’s, and Wheelchair is available completely free to air on Channel Seven and their streaming platform 7Plus.
How to watch:
- Switch on Channel 7 on your TV for live matches
- Download the 7Plus app (free, no subscription needed) to stream on your phone, tablet, or smart TV
- The 7Plus app is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, and more
Cost: Free. No subscription. No paywall.
How to Watch Rugby League World Cup In New Zealand?
New Zealand fans can catch all the matches of the Rugby League World Cup through Sky Sport.
Sky Sport holds the broadcast rights for the Rugby League World Cup broadcasting in New Zealand.
How to watch:
- Sky Sport on your TV via a Sky subscription
- Sky Sport Now — Sky’s streaming service, available without a full Sky package, accessible on mobile, tablet, and smart TV
Cost: Subscription required. Sky Sport Now starts from around $26.99 NZD per month with no contract.
How to Watch Rugby League World Cup in the United Kingdom?
Premier Sports is the official UK broadcaster of RLWC 2026, with exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland. The deal was confirmed by International Rugby League in August 2026.
Premier Sports is showing every match of the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair World Cups live, including every England fixture. Unlike previous years, the tournament is not on free-to-air TV in the UK.
How to watch:
- Subscribe to Premier Sports through your TV provider or directly online
- Stream on your phone, tablet or smart TV with the Premier Player app
Cost: Subscription required. Premier Sports also holds the rights in Canada and across South-East Asia.
International Rugby League World Cup Fans
If you are outside Australia, New Zealand, or the UK, the best option for watching the international rugby league World Cup is WatchNRL.
WatchNRL is a subscription-based international service that delivers live streams and on-demand replays of rugby league to fans around the world.
How to watch:
- Go to watchnrl.com and create an account
- Select your region and choose a subscription plan
- Stream live matches and watch replays on demand
Cost: Subscription required. Pricing varies by region. Check watchnrl.com for the plan available in your country.
Also Checkout: Rugby League World Cup Official Schedule & Fixtures
Where to Watch Rugby League World Cup 2026?
Here’s where to watch the Rugby League World Cup 2026 at a glance. Find your country below.
| Country | Where to watch | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Seven Network and 7plus | Free |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport | Subscription |
| UK and Ireland | Premier Sports | Subscription |
| Canada and South-East Asia | Premier Sports | Subscription |
| Papua New Guinea | Digicel | Check local packages |
| Other countries | WatchNRL (check availability in your region) | Subscription |
Australian fans get the best deal, with every match free on the Seven Network and the 7plus app.
In New Zealand, every match is on Sky Sport and Sky Sport Now, while UK and Ireland fans can watch on Premier Sports.
Elsewhere, WatchNRL streams the tournament in many countries. Check your local kick-off time before each match.
Rugby League World Cup Live Stream: 7plus, Sky Sport Now and Premier Player
Every Rugby League World Cup 2026 match is streamed live, so you can watch on your phone, tablet or smart TV.
In Australia, the free 7plus app streams every men’s, women’s and wheelchair game live, with no subscription needed.
In New Zealand, Sky Sport Now streams every match without a full Sky package. In the UK and Ireland, the Premier Player app does the same.
Elsewhere, WatchNRL streams the tournament in many countries. Missed a game? Every score is on our Rugby League World Cup results page.
Can I Watch the Rugby League World Cup With a VPN?
Yes. If you’re travelling to Australia, New Zealand or PNG for the World Cup, a VPN lets you use your home streaming subscription abroad.
That means UK fans can keep watching on Premier Player, and Kiwi fans can keep using Sky Sport Now, while away from home.
A VPN also protects your logins and card details on airport, hotel and stadium Wi-Fi.
NordVPN is one of the most popular choices with travelling fans. You still need a valid subscription for the service you watch.
We may earn a commission if you sign up through our NordVPN link, at no extra cost to you.
Is the Rugby League World Cup on Premier Sports?
Yes. Premier Sports is the only place to watch the Rugby League World Cup 2026 live in the UK and Ireland.
It shows every match of the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair World Cups, including every England game.
| How you subscribe | Price |
|---|---|
| Premier Sports app or Sky (12-month plan) | £13.99 a month |
| Premier Sports app or Sky (rolling monthly) | £18.99 a month |
| Annual payment upfront | £130 a year |
| Virgin TV | £15.99 a month |
| Amazon Prime Video channel | £17.99 a month |
If you only want the World Cup, the rolling monthly plan lets you cancel with 30 days’ notice.
Most UK kick-offs are in the morning, so check our kick-off times guide before each match.
You can watch on TV through Sky or Virgin, or stream on the Premier Player app.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 TV Guide
Every men’s match is live on the Seven Network and 7plus in Australia, Sky Sport in New Zealand and Premier Sports in the UK.
Here’s the full men’s TV guide, with kick-off times in Sydney and the UK.
| Date | Match | Sydney | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 15 Oct | Australia v New Zealand | 8:05pm | 10:05am |
| Fri 16 Oct | Samoa v France | 5:45pm | 7:45am |
| Sat 17 Oct | PNG v Lebanon | 3:25pm | 5:25am |
| Sat 17 Oct | England v Tonga | 8:05pm | 10:05am |
| Sun 18 Oct | Fiji v Cook Islands | 4:05pm | 6:05am |
| Fri 23 Oct | Tonga v Lebanon | 8:05pm | 10:05am |
| Sat 24 Oct | PNG v Samoa | 3:25pm | 5:25am |
| Sat 24 Oct | England v France | 5:35pm | 7:35am |
| Sun 25 Oct | New Zealand v Cook Islands | 4:05pm | 5:05am |
| Sun 25 Oct | Australia v Fiji | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Fri 30 Oct | England v PNG | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sat 31 Oct | New Zealand v Fiji | 3:45pm | 4:45am |
| Sat 31 Oct | Australia v Cook Islands | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sun 1 Nov | Lebanon v France | 5:50pm | 6:50am |
| Sun 1 Nov | Tonga v Samoa | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sat 7 Nov | Semi-final 1, Newcastle | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sun 8 Nov | Semi-final 2, Sydney | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sun 15 Nov | Final, Brisbane | 7:35pm | 8:35am |
Women’s matches are shown on the same channels, often as the first game of a double-header.
Times are as announced by the organisers and can change, so check again on match day.
When Does the Rugby League World Cup Start?
The Rugby League World Cup starts on 15 October 2026 with Australia vs New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
This Rugby League World Cup 2026 edition is happening in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea with three simultaneous tournaments.
The three tournaments happening are Men’s, Women’s, and Wheelchair taking place in 9 host cities.
The RLWC 2026 Women’s tournament kicks off on 16 October, and the Wheelchair World Cup begins on 30 October.
The tournament concludes with the Grand Final on 15 November at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Where to Buy Rugby League World Cup Tickets?
Buying tickets isn’t always easy, and you can get scammed if you can’t tell a real seller from a fake one.
Here, we are going to tell you some legit places where you can purchase the tickets for Rugby League World Cup.
You can buy tickets for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup from ticketmaster.com
You can also visit the website of Rugby League World Cup to see where you can buy tickets. For every price tier, the venue list and a scam checklist, see our RLWC 2026 ticket prices and buying guide.
You May Also Like: Rugby League World Cup | History & Winners
Ticket Prices
Tickets are already on sale and genuinely affordable; this is not a premium-only event.
| Ticket Type | Price (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Adult — Group Stage & Semi-Finals | From $19 |
| Family — Group Stage & Semi-Finals | From $49 |
| Adult — Grand Final (Suncorp Stadium) | From $39 |
| Family — Grand Final (Suncorp Stadium) | From $109 |
| Children 3 and under | Free (on knee) |
| Children 4–15 | Child ticket price |
Conclusion
The Rugby League World Cup 2026 starts on 15 October at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, and the final is on 15 November in Brisbane.
Where you can watch it depends on where you live, but every match is shown live in all the main rugby league countries.
In Australia, every match is free on the Seven Network and 7plus.
In New Zealand, every match is on Sky Sport.
In the UK and Ireland, every match is live on Premier Sports, which requires a subscription.
Check your local time in our kick-off times guide. If you’d rather be at the stadium, our tickets guide shows where to buy safely.
