The men’s, women’s and wheelchair events are held simultaneously in host countries Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Watch the Rugby League World Cup as Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea host the best teams on the planet for a month of top action.
The men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions run concurrently, with 53 games expected between now and the men’s and women’s finals on Sunday 15 November. The wheelchair tournament begins on Friday, October 30.
Australia are looking to defend their men’s and women’s titles, while England return to defend their wheelchair tournament crown.
A quick guide
– Rugby League World Cup Dates: October 15-15 November 2026
– Rugby World Cup FREE Streaming: 7 Plus (Australia)
– Broadcasters of the Rugby League World Cup: Premier Sports (UK, Ireland, USA), Sky Sport (New Zealand)
– Watch the Rugby World Cup from anywhere: Try it NordVPN 100% risk free
The Rugby League Men’s World Cup features 10 teams: Australia, Cook Islands, England, Fiji, France, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
The eight teams competing for the women’s title are: Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Wales.
And in the wheelchair event, Australia, England, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, USA and Wales are competing to lift the trophy.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know to watch Rugby World Cup live wherever you are – including details on free viewing options if you’re in Australia. We’ll also explain how you can use a VPN to tune in to your usual streaming services if you’re traveling away from home.
Can I watch the Rugby League World Cup for free?
If you’re in Australia, you can watch every game of the 2026 Rugby World Cup for free on Seven and its 7plus streaming service. Viewing 7plus is easy – you just need your email address to create your free account.
ThreeNow in New Zealand will also to have each one Kiwis match available for free, as good as the semi-final and the final of each one that is, the event.
Australians currently traveling abroad needn’t worry about missing out on any of the action. You can use a VPN to access the normal service as if you were still below.
How to watch Rugby World Cup 2026 from anywhere
Being away from home doesn’t have to stop you watching the Rugby World Cup 2026. A VPN bypasses geoblocking by changing your IP address, allowing you to stream matches as if you were at home. Technological experts in TechRadar and Tom’s Guide rate NordVPN as number one in the world, thanks to its low price and unsurpassed ability to unblock streaming services.
What are this week’s Rugby League World Cup 2026 fixtures?
Thursday, October 15
- Australia v New Zealand (Men’s Pool A)
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Australia
Initial start: 10.05 BST / 20.05 AEDT / 22.05 NZDT / 5.05 EDT / 2.05 PDT
Friday, October 16
- Samoa v France (Men Group B)
CommBank Stadium, Sydney, Australia
Kick off: 7.45am BST / 5.45pm AEDT / 7.45pm NZDT / 2.45am EDT / 11.45pm PDT (Thursday) - Samoa v France (Women Group A)
CommBank Stadium, Sydney, Australia
Initial start: 10.05 BST / 20.05 AEDT / 22.05 NZDT / 5.05 EDT / 2.05 PDT
Saturday, October 17
- Papua New Guinea v France (Women Group B)
Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Kick off: 3.15am BST / 1.15pm AEDT / 3.15pm NZDT / 10.15am EDT (Friday) / 7.15pm PDT (Friday) - Papua New Guinea v Lebanon (Men Group B)
Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Kick off: 5.25am BST / 3.25pm AEDT / 5.25pm NZDT / 12.25pm EDT / 9.25pm PDT (Friday) - England v Wales (Women’s Group A)
HBF Park, Perth, Australia
Kick off: 7.35am BST / 5.35pm AEDT / 7.35pm NZDT / 2.35am EDT / 11.35pm PDT (Thursday) - England v Tonga (Men’s Group B)
HBF Park, Perth, Australia
Initial start: 10.05 BST / 20.05 AEDT / 22.05 NZDT / 5.05 EDT / 2.05 PDT
Sunday, October 18
- New Zealand v Fiji (Women Group B)
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Kick off: 3.50am BST / 1.50pm AEDT / 3.50pm NZDT / 10.50am EDT (Saturday) / 7.50pm PDT (Saturday) - Fiji v Cook Islands (Men, Group A)
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Initial start: 6.05am BST / 4.05pm AEDT / 6.05pm NZDT / 1.05am EDT / 10.05pm PDT (Saturday)
Other options to watch the Rugby League World Cup around the world
- United Kingdom: In the UK, every match of the competition is available via Premier Sports. You can watch online or on TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player or Virgin Media. Costs are £18.99 per month on an ongoing basis, £13.99 per month on an annual contract or £130 per year (down from £11 per month) if you pay in advance.
- Ireland: Premier Sports is also the holder of the rights to the Rugby League World Cup in Ireland. Existing Sky Sports customers can add the service to their subscription as part of the Sports Extra package. This costs €10 per month for the first six months, before increasing to €25 per month for the next six months.
- United States of America: Every game of the Rugby League World Cup is underway Premier Sports in the USA. You can get an RLWC26 pass to watch every game for $25.
- New Zealand: You have to go Sky Sports NZ watch live broadcasts of the Rugby League World Cup in New Zealand. Subscriptions cost $59.99 a month or $549.99 a year, though you can get day passes for $29.99 if you just want to tune in to certain games. ThreeNow They also have select equipment available for free, as noted above.
- Rest of the world: If you’re not sure where to find live streams of the Rugby World Cup in your country, chances are it’s on too Premier Sportswhich shows the competition in over 120 countries around the world on its Premier Sports Player. Prices vary by region.
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