How to Watch Nations Championship 2026: TV & Streaming Guide

The Nations Championship 2026, rugby's newest international competition, offered various ways for fans worldwide to watch the matches, including free streaming options. On the opening day, teams from New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, Wales, South Africa, and Scotland emerged victorious, setting the stage for the second round of matches. Competing for the inaugural title, teams like France, Italy, Australia, Fiji, England, and Argentina aimed to catch up after their initial losses.

Fans prepared for an action-packed Saturday beginning with New Zealand facing Italy in Wellington. This was followed by France taking on Australia in Brisbane, while Japan hosted Ireland in Newcastle, New South Wales. Fiji ‘hosted’ England in Liverpool, and South Africa welcomed Scotland to Pretoria. The day concluded with a match between Argentina and Wales in San Juan.

The fixtures provided approximately 16 hours of continuous rugby, drawing comparisons to the Six Nations’ Super Saturday. Supporters were delighted to know that the Nations Championship live streams were available to viewers in the UK, Ireland, and France at no cost.

Broadcasters for the Nations Championship included ITV in the UK, Virgin Media in Ireland, and TF1 in France, alongside SuperSport in South Africa and Stan Sport in Australia. For viewers in Japan, Wowow provided coverage. In the UK, all 42 matches were available on ITV’s channels and the ITVX streaming service. Welsh language commentary for games featuring Wales was accessible via S4C, BBC iPlayer, and S4C Clic.

In Ireland, Virgin Media Play featured live streams for every game, with selected matches also aired on Virgin Media One. For spectators in France, TF1 had exclusive streaming rights, with fixtures also available on TF1+ and broadcast channels TF1 or TMC. Australian fans could watch the Wallabies' games for free on Channel 9 and the 9Now service.

Traveling viewers were informed that using a VPN could help access their usual streaming services while abroad. A breakdown of specific matches played on July 11, 2026, outlined kick-off times and venues, ensuring fans did not miss any action.

In the UK, ITV broadcasted a full lineup of matches back-to-back on ITV1, including New Zealand v Italy, Australia v France, Japan v Ireland, and so forth. In Ireland, Virgin Media One dedicated its entire schedule to all rugby matches without interruptions. South African fans could tune in via SuperSport, while in the US, World Rugby’s RugbyPass TV was an available option for viewers, requiring registration to watch.

In Australia, Stan Sport featured all 42 games, with entry priced at $20 per month and additional home games available for free on 9Now.