Club Benefits
The NRL 2026 season is set to be a fascinating campaign as a host of teams have strengthened during the off-season as they attempt to dethrone the Brisbane Broncos. Some countries offer free NRL games every week, so read on and we'll show you how to watch NRL 2026 live streams from anywhere with a VPN – and potentially for free.
Dates: March 1 to September 6, 2026
► FREE STREAM — 9Now (Australia)
► U.S. — Fox Sports via Sling TV or Fubo
► U.K. — Sky Sports
► R.O.W. — Watch NRL
► Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
Last year it took until Round 27 for the Brisbane Broncos to enter the top four before going on an incredible run of comeback victories to claim their seventh premiership. It was a remarkable effort from Michael Maguire’s side and they are now seeking to secure back-to-back titles for the first time since 1998.
To help achieve this, they bolstered the squad over the break by signing Grant Anderson, Tom Duffy and Aublix Tawh. They’ll hope these new signings can inspire a squad that will lose two of its key players at the end of the season, with veteran half Adam Reynolds retiring and Payne Haas joining South Sydney.
When it comes to contenders for the title, it’s hard to look past Penrith. The Panthers failed in their quest for a fivepeat last season, losing in the preliminary finals, but have kept their core players and brought premiership winner Jack Cogger back to the club. Back hunting rather than being the hunted, they’ll take some stopping this year.
Elsewhere, Canterbury Bulldogs made their second straight finals series under Cameron Ciraldo last season and will expect to launch another challenge, while Melbourne Storm will be desperate for redemption after consecutive Grand Final defeats. The Sydney Roosters have also made several key additions after a disappointing campaign in 2025 and will be eying a top four finish.
You won’t want to miss a second of the action, so here’s how to watch NRL 2026 live streams no matter where you are.
FREE NRL 2026 live streams
Rugby league fans in Australia can watch three matches a week for FREE on Channel 9 and the 9Now streaming service.
These are usually Thursday night, second Friday night and Sunday afternoon games.
But what if you're based in Australia but aren't at home to catch the free NRL live streams? Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead. We recommend NordVPN:
Watch NRL 2026 from anywhere
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is NordVPN.
2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location, eg: 'Australia' for 9Now.
3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to your home broadcaster's site or app and watch as if you were at home - 9Now for Aussies abroad.
How to watch NRL 2026 live streams in the UK
As per usual in the UK, the 2026 NRL season will be shown exclusively on Sky Sports. Its channels will show three games per week, together with all Final Series, State of Origin and Grand Final matches.
Sky Sports packages start from £22 per month or you can get a more flexible Now Sports membership starting from £14.99 for a day pass.
Alternatively, die-hard fans might want to check out Watch NRL, which costs £16 a week, £39 a month month or £143 for the whole season and will unlock access to every single NRL game of the 2026 season.
Away from the UK? You’ll need to download a VPN to watch your usual stream from abroad.
How to watch NRL 2026 live streams in Australia
The great news for rugby league fans in Australia is that they can watch three NRL 2026 Regular Season games for FREE on Channel 9, as we've outlined above. The free-to-air broadcaster will also be showing the Finals Series matches, too.
That also means viewers Down Under can watch all of the action online for free via the 9Now streaming service, which is compatible with most smart devices.
Fox Sports and Foxtel have the rights Down Under to show every NRL 2026 fixture, for those footy fans who don't want to miss a single second of the season.
Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? Specialist streaming service Kayo Sports is also showing the action, with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from just $30/month, and hosting plenty of cricket, AFL, rugby, F1 and loads of other live sports to enjoy.
Going to be outside Oz this season? Simply use a VPN to access 9Now from overseas, without being blocked. We recommend NordVPN.
How to watch NRL 2026 live streams in the US
Viewers in the U.S. can watch NRL 2026 live stream on Fox Sports, which is available with most cable TV packages.
Like the U.K., viewers in the U.S. will get three NRL Regular Season games a week, all NRLW Regular Season matches, every fixture of the Finals Series and every State Of Origin/Women’s State of Origin encounter, too.
Alternatively, for cord-cutters, full OTT cable replacement services such as Sling TV (in selected cities), Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.
If you're outside of the U.S. but have one of these subscriptions, you can watch an NRL 2026 live streams by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
How to watch NRL 2026 live streams in Canada
Sportsnet has the rights to the NRL 2026 in Canada, on the same deal as the U.K. and U.S..
To watch the NRL 2025 on Sportsnet and its streaming service SN Plus, you'll need a Sportsnet premium subscription. This requires a monthly subscription of CA$29.99, but comes with access to a whole host of other sports from across the world, including out-of-market NHL games, Premiership and Super League rugby. There's also an annual subscription for CA$249.99.
If you live in Canada and already subscribe to Sportsnet, but aren't at home right now, you can still watch an NRL 2026 live stream by using a quality VPN like NordVPN.
How to watch NRL 2026 live streams in New Zealand
Sky Sport is showing NRL 2026 in New Zealand. Sky Sport is a subscription service and offers a range of TV packages.
Subscribers can watch online using the country's Sky Go service, while cord-cutters and anyone else can try the Sky Sport Now streaming-only platform — where a pass costs from $29.99 per day or $54.99 per month.
Anyone in New Zealand from abroad or vice-versa can use the VPN route outlined earlier to access their preferred coverage just like they would at home.
How to watch NRL 2026 live streams in the rest of the world
If you live outside of Australia, New Zealand, or the Pacific Islands — where the NRL TV rights have not been picked up, you can watch NRL 2026 online with the Watch NRL streaming service.
Subscriptions cost $20 per week, $39 per month or $182 for a whole year. Check the website for pricing in your region.
Who are the past NRL Grand Final winners?
1998 — Brisbane Broncos
1999 — Melbourne Storm
2000 — Brisbane Broncos
2001 — Newcastle Knights
2002 — Sydney Roosters
2003 — Penrith Panthers
2004 — Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
2005 — Wests Tigers
2006 — Brisbane Broncos
2007 — Melbourne Storm
2008 — Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
2009 — Melbourne Storm
2010 — St. George Illawarra Dragons
2011 — Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
2012 — Melbourne Storm
2013 — Sydney Roosters
2014 — South Sydney Rabbitohs
2015 — North Queensland Cowboys
2016 — Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
2017 — Melbourne Storm
2018 — Sydney Roosters
2019 — Sydney Roosters
2020 — Melbourne Storm
2021 — Penrith Panthers
2022 — Penrith Panthers
2023 — Penrith Panthers
2024 — Penrith Panthers
2025 — Brisbane Broncos
More from Tom's Guide
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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