England face a tough start to their campaign in Perth.
Watch England v Tonga as Brian McDermott’s men launch their 2026 Rugby World Cup campaign against the Pacific.
Although Great Britain won the tournament in 1960 and 1972, the best England ever did without other home nations was runners-up. Given the relative strength of Australia and New Zealand, few expect the world’s third-best team to improve on that record this year, although exiting the pool will be seen as a minimum requirement. England will know that defeat in Perth will make achieving that goal a tough task – especially after Samoa thrashed France 78-4.
Standing in their way is Tonga, an opposition that will have its own aspirations for the semi-finals. They have plenty of experience playing rugby league’s biggest guns in the Pacific Cup, beating the Kiwis away from home two years ago. In other words, this should be one of the ties of this first round of matches.
Read on to find out everything you need to know to watch England v Tonga online, on TV and from anywhere – including the option to watch for free in Australia. At the bottom of the page you will find the team composition.
England v Tonga: Key information
– Date: Saturday 17.10.2026
– Venue: HBF Park, Perth
– Start time: 10.05 BST / 20.05 AEDT / 22.05 NZDT / 5.05 EDT / 2.05 PDT
– FREE STREAMS: 7 Plus (Australia)
– TV Channels/Live Streams: Premier Sports (UK, Ireland, USA), Sky Sports (New Zealand)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk free
Watch England vs Tonga for FREE in Australia
As with every game at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, fans below can watch England v Tonga live for free on Seven and its 7plus streaming service. You only need to provide your email address to create a free account.
If you’re an Australian resident and traveling overseas this weekend, a VPN can help you tune in to this Rugby World Cup opener wherever you are. More information on this below…
How to stream England to Tonga from anywhere
Away from home at the moment? That doesn’t have to stop you from watching the Rugby World Cup kick-off in England 2026 on your usual free streaming service. A VPN bypasses geoblocking by changing your IP address, allowing you to log in as if you were at home.
Our colleagues at Tom’s guide test tons of VPNs and consider NordVPN to be the best in the world right now. It’s also great for improving your device’s security when you’re online, which is great for your peace of mind.
Watch England v Tonga in UK & Ireland
Premier Sports has the UK rights to every Rugby World Cup match in the UK and Ireland, including this England v Tonga live broadcast.
In Great Britain a Premier Sports online subscription costs £18.99 a month on a basic basis, £13.99 a month on a one-year contract, or £150 a year (£12.50 a month) if you pay upfront. Works on a variety of apps and devices.
You can also tune in to Premier Sports on your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player and Virgin Media. The variable monthly cost is, again, £18.99, although other offers are available on certain platforms.
In Ireland Sky Sports subscribers can add Premier Sports as part of the Sports Extra package (which also includes TNT Sports). This costs €10 per month for the first six months, before increasing to €25 per month for the next six months.
Premier Sports is also available with Now Sports Extra membership (daily and monthly memberships available from €11.99 per month) and via Virgin Media – check the provider’s website for details.
England – Tonga live stream in the USA
England v Tonga live streaming is available on Premier Sports in the USA. The RLWC26 Pass, which gives you access to all 53 games of the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournament, will cost you $25.
Watch England vs Tonga around the world
Premier Sports has the rights to live England v Tonga broadcasts in over 120 countries, so if your territory isn’t mentioned individually above, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find it there. Prices vary by region.
Line-ups of England and Tonga
England
1. AJ Brimson
2. Dominic Young
3. Hugo Savala
4. Herbie Farnworth
5. Zach Eckersley
6. George Williams (Captain)
7. Harry Smith
8. Max King
9. Brad O’Neill
10. Morgan Knowles
11. Junior Nsemba
12. Kai Pearce-Paul
13. Victor Radley
Exchange:
14. Jez Litten
15. Luke Thompson
16. Ethan Howard
17. Sam Walters
Tonga
1. Lehi Hopoate
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Tolutau Koula
4. Robert Drag
5. Sosefo Smith Tulele
6. Drinking water
7. Isaiah All
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Sonny Luke
10. Jason Taumalolo (captain)
11. Haumole Olakau’atu
12. Siu Wong
13. Tyson Frizell
Exchange:
14. Salesi Focetti
15. Stefano Utoikamanu
16. Demitric Vaimauga
17. Christmas letter
Officials
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch referees: Dave Munro, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Senior Review Officer: Ashley Klein
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