How to Watch Japan vs Italy in Nations Championship 2026

The Nations Championship 2026 featured a highly anticipated match between Japan and Italy, set to take place in Tokyo. Fans noted that both teams had shown comparable strength in the world rankings, hinting at a tightly contested encounter. While the last matchup saw Italy securing a comfortable victory on Japan's home turf, underestimating a team coached by Eddie Jones was deemed unwise by analysts.

Match Details:
- Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026
- Kick-off: 9:40 AM BST / 10:40 AM CET / 10:40 AM SAST / 6:40 PM AEST / 8:40 PM NZST / 4:40 AM EDT

Where to Watch for Free:
- United Kingdom: Viewers could catch the action live on ITV4 and the ITVX streaming service, both of which were free options, provided viewers possessed a current TV License. Coverage started at 9:30 AM BST to prepare for the kick-off.
- Ireland: Fans in Ireland could stream the game for free on Virgin Media Play, with the match commencing at 9:40 AM IST.
- France: In France, the TF1+ streaming service offered a free way to watch Japan vs Italy, set to kick-off at 10:40 AM CT.

For viewers traveling overseas, those based in the UK, Ireland, and France had the opportunity to access their usual streaming services with the assistance of a VPN, ensuring they could still enjoy the match live.

Other Options for Watching:
- Australia: Fans in Australia had the option to watch the match on Stan Sport, needing a monthly subscription plan of $20, in addition to their base Stan membership to access live streams.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport provided coverage in New Zealand, with subscription pricing at $54.99 per month.
- South Africa: SuperSport was the destination for South African viewers to tune in, available through DStv and streaming, with the match beginning at 10:40 AM SAST.
- United States: In the U.S., viewers could watch Japan vs Italy on World Rugby’s RugbyPass TV, a free service requiring prior registration. The game was scheduled to start at 4:40 AM EDT / 1:40 AM PDT on Saturday morning.