Rugby League World Cup 2026 live stream: where to watch Australia vs New Zealand — October 15, 5:05 a.m. AEDT | 4:05 a.m. NZDT | 10:05 a.m. PDT | 1:05 p.m. EDT | 6:05 p.m. BST | 7:05 p.m. CEST | 11:35 p.m. IST | 4:05 a.m. AEDT (next day) in Sydney and Auckland, the opening match kicks off at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Thursday, October 15 at 5:05 a.m. AEDT, that’s 4:05 a.m. NZDT for viewers in New Zealand, 10:05 a.m. PDT and 1:05 p.m. EDT in the U.S., 6:05 p.m. BST in the UK, 7:05 p.m. CEST in mainland Europe, and 11:35 p.m. IST in India. The tournament runs through November 7, with men’s, women’s, and wheelchair competitions all included in broadcast packages where available. ## Where to watch | Country | Channel or service | Free or paid | |---|---|---| | Australia | Channel 7 (linear), 7Plus (streaming) | Free | | New Zealand | ThreeNow | Free | | New Zealand | Sky Sport / Sky Sport Now | Paid | | United States | Premier Sports | Paid | | Canada | Premier Sports | Paid | | United Kingdom | Premier Sports | Paid | Free options The Rugby League World Cup 2026 is fully free-to-air in Australia via Channel 7 and its streaming platform 7Plus. No subscription required. Viewers need only create a free 7Plus account using a valid Australian postcode (e.g., 2042). In New Zealand, ThreeNow offers every New Zealand national team match across all three tournaments, men’s, women’s, and wheelchair. At no cost. It also carries both semi-finals and the final. What to expect The opening match pits defending champions Australia against New Zealand, the 2008 world champions and last year’s Ashes rivals. At Allianz Stadium in Sydney. Australia will be led by captain Isaah Yeo and coach Kevin Walters. Star half Nathan Cleary is ruled out with injury. New Zealand features Kalyn Ponga and James Fisher-Harris, both switching allegiance from Australia ahead of the tournament. The full men’s tournament schedule begins Thursday, October 15 and concludes with the final on Saturday, November 7. All matches across men’s, women’s, and wheelchair divisions are covered by the broadcasters listed above, though only Australia and New Zealand offer full free access to the entire slate. Premier Sports in the U.S., Canada, and UK carries every match but requires a paid subscription. The tournament is co-hosted across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.