The 2026 NRL season is right around the corner, starting on February 28th, 2026. This year, the NRL Harvey Norman All returns to Aotearoa, New Zealand. The event will take place on Sunday, February 15th, at the FMG Stadium, Hamilton. While the NRL games will be available across several streaming platforms, you can watch NRL on 9Now completely free. However, 9Now is geo-restricted to Australia only.
If you’re outside Australia and still want to watch the NRL for free, you will need to use a VPN. A VPN will change your IP address, helping you bypass 9Now’s geo-restrictions from anywhere. Here’s a quick overview of how to watch NRL 2026 with a VPN:
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- Subscribe to a reliable VPN. I recommend NordVPN, now 75% off.
- Download and install the VPN app on your device.
- Connect to a VPN server in Australia.
- Visit 9Now and watch 2026 NRL games for free from anywhere!
I found that NordVPN is the best VPN for NRL 2026 due to its robust unblocking capabilities, fast speeds, and reliable privacy measures.
Continue reading and learn how to watch NRL for free with a VPN in 2026.
Where to watch NRL live: free and paid streaming services
NRL games 2026 will be available across multiple platforms in different regions. Users in Australia can watch NRL via 9Now, Kayo Sports, or Foxtel. For viewers outside Australia, the international platform Watch NRL lets you stream games without restrictions.
There are also quite a few paid services where you can watch the 2026 NRL. Users in the US can stream NRL on Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo TV. If you’re in the UK, you can find the matches on NOW. In Switzerland, you can use Sportdigital1+, beIN Sports in France, Premier Sports Asia in Singapore, and Sky Sport Now in New Zealand.
However, the only official free service that will stream live matches is 9Now, which is only available in Australia. If you’re outside the country, you can use a robust VPN and access 9Now from anywhere without restrictions.
| Country | NRL streaming site |
|---|---|
| Australia | 9Now (FREE), Kayo Sports ($29.99/month), Foxtel ($35.00/month) |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport Now ($54.99/month) |
| US | Sling TV ($45.99/month), YouTube TV ($82.99/month), Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/month), Fubo TV ($79.99/month) |
| UK | NOW (£34.99/month) |
| France | beIN Sports (€15.00/month) |
| Singapore | Premier Sports Asia ($39.90/month) |
| Switzerland | Sportdigital1+ (€4.99/month) |
| International | Watch NRL ($39.00/month) |
How to watch NRL games online for free
You can watch NRL games online for free via 9Now. However, 9Now is only available in Australia. Users outside of the country will need to use a VPN to watch NRL for free. Below, you can find a detailed guide on how to watch NRL games online for free with a VPN in 2026:
Step 1. Get a robust streaming VPN
To watch NRL 2026 games for free from anywhere, subscribe to a reliable VPN provider that has servers in Australia. For the best experience, try NordVPN, which has proven to be the best VPN for NRL. NordVPN has stable servers in Australia, delivers fast speeds, and ensures privacy while unblocking geo-restrictions.
NordVPN offers 190+ Australian servers across five locations, guaranteeing smooth 9Now geo-restriction bypassing from anywhere. It’s one of the fastest VPNs on the market, making it the best option for streaming. Besides, NordVPN uses all necessary security measures and offers additional features, ensuring your digital footprint stays private at all times.
Step 2. Download and install the VPN app
After you subscribe to a VPN service, download and install the VPN app on your streaming device. Most providers offer dedicated apps for all major operating systems. You can download the VPN app from the official provider’s website, the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store, depending on your device.
Step 3. Connect to a VPN server in Australia
To watch the 2026 NRL games for free outside of Australia, you will need to change your IP address to an Australian one by using a VPN. To do so, simply connect to a VPN server in Australia. After that, be sure to check if the connection is successful using ipleak.net and dnsleaktest.com.
Step 4. Go to 9Now and stream NRL for free
Once you have successfully connected to the VPN and changed your IP address to an Australian one, head to 9Now and enjoy watching NRL games online for free. In case you’re still experiencing issues, try connecting to a different server in Australia. I also advise changing the VPN protocol, as that will restore your VPN connection.
Why NordVPN is the best VPN to watch NRL live streams
I’ve tested 27 providers, and while many services can bypass geo-restrictions, I found that NordVPN is the best VPN for watching NRL live streams in 2026. NordVPN has a wide selection of servers worldwide, including Australia, which unblocked 9Now during my tests without any issues. I was also impressed by its speed, with an average download speed of 756Mbps. Reliable servers and solid speeds are a must when using a VPN for streaming.
Apart from its excellent streaming capabilities, NordVPN also ensures privacy with a robust AES-256 encryption, IP and DNS leak protection, and an audited no-logs policy. I also found quite a few extra features available with NordVPN, such as split tunneling, Threat Protection, and Double VPN. The kill switch feature indeed quickly disabled my internet connection when the VPN connection was interrupted.
Before making any decisions, you can test NordVPN first. All paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Additionally, there’s a 3-day free trial available on the Google Play Store. If you decide to get a plan, the starting price is $ 3.49/month, but NordVPN’s cost depends on the plan that you choose.
NRL 2026 schedule
The 2026 NRL games will start on February 28th, 2026. Here are a few upcoming NRL 2026 matches:
| NRL game | Date (Eastern time) |
|---|---|
| Harvey Norman All Stars | Feb 15, 11:45 PM |
| Knights vs Cowboys | Feb 28, 9:15 PM |
| Bulldogs vs Dragons | Feb 28, 11:30 PM |
| Strom vs Eels | Mar 5, 4:00 AM |
| Warriors vs Roosters | Mar 6, 2:00 AM |
| Broncos vs Panthers | Mar 6, 4:00 AM |
| Sharks vs Titans | Mar 7, 1:30 AM |
| Sea Eagles vs Raiders | Mar 7, 3:30 AM |
| Dolphins vs Rabbithos | Mar 8, 12:05 AM |
How to watch the NRL in France
- Streaming sites: beIN Sports
- Available games: 3 matches per week, all NRL Women’s matches, all finals, and the grand final
If you’re in France, you’ll be able to enjoy some NRL matches via beIN Sports. The site will stream all the finals, so you won’t miss the most important games. However, if you want to watch all the NRL 2026 games, you can use a VPN and access services that will broadcast all matches, such as Kayo Sports and Foxtel Australia.
How to watch the NRL in the UK
- Streaming sites: NOW
- Available games: 3 matches per week, all NRL Women’s matches, all finals, and the grand final
Some 2026 NRL matches will be available for UK viewers via NOW UK. However, not all regular games will be broadcast. It’s also important to note that NOW is a paid service. If you’re looking for a free NRL streaming service in the UK, you can use a robust VPN and stream the games for free via 9Now.
How to watch the NRL in New Zealand
- Streaming sites: Sky Sport Now
- Available games: every NRL match, all NRL Women’s matches, all finals, and the grand final
Viewers in New Zealand will be able to watch all NRL 2026 games via Sky Sport Now. However, the starting price for Sky Sport Now NX is $54.99/month. The only way to watch 2026 NRL games for free in New Zealand is by using a robust VPN with servers in Australia. This will allow you to access 9Now, which will broadcast the NRL for free.
How to watch the NRL in Australia
- Streaming sites: 9Now, Kayo Sports, Foxtel
- Available games: every NRL match, all NRL Women’s matches, all finals, and the grand final
Australians can find all NRL matches on Kayo Sports and Foxtel. It will also be possible to stream the games completely free via 9Now. However, keep in mind that these services are only available in Australia, so if you’re currently traveling abroad, you will need to use a VPN to watch NRL 2026 games.
How to watch the NRL in Singapore
- Streaming sites: Premier Sports Asia
- Available games: 3 matches per week, all NRL Women’s matches, all finals, and the grand final
Premier Sports Asia in Singapore will broadcast some NRL matches. Unfortunately, not all regular matches will be available. If you’re interested in all 2026 NRL games, you will need to use a VPN and watch NRL using services like Kayo Sports or Foxtel. Additionally, a VPN will help you to stream NRL in Singapore completely free, as you’ll be able to access the games via 9Now.
Final tips: how to stream NRL 2026 from anywhere
The 2026 NRL season starts on February 28th, and the Harvey Norman All Stars will take place on February 15th, 2026. The NRL games will be available on multiple Australian and international streaming platforms. While the games will be streamed worldwide, the only free streaming site for the NRL is 9Now, which is geo-restricted to Australia only. To bypass these restrictions, you will need to use a robust VPN provider.
My in-house tests showed that NordVPN is the best VPN to watch the NRL 2026 online for free from anywhere in the world. The provider offers reliable servers, fast speeds, and robust security measures, ensuring a smooth and private streaming experience.
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FAQ
You can watch NRL in the USA via Watch NRL, Sling TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Hulu + Live TV. These paid services will broadcast selected NRL 2026 matches. To watch NRL in the USA for free, use a VPN, connect to a server in Australia, and access matches via 9Now.
You can watch the NRL overseas using Watch NRL. Watch NRL is an official streaming service that will broadcast 2026 NRL games for viewers outside Australia. Additionally, other sites like beIN Sports (France), Sportdigital1+ (Switzerland), and Premier Sports Asia (Singapore) will stream some NRL games.
Yes, you can officially watch NRL games outside Australia via an international platform, Watch NRL. Using Watch NRL, you’ll be able to access live and on-demand NRL matches. The streaming site is available worldwide, except in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
Yes, you can watch NRL live in France via Watch NRL or beIN Sports. If you want to stream NRL online for free, you can use a VPN and access the games via 9Now. For the best experience, try using NordVPN, which proved to be the best NRL VPN in 2026.
Yes, it’s legal to watch NRL overseas with a VPN. The main purpose of a VPN is online privacy, so using it for security reasons while streaming content is not prohibited. However, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the streaming site’s you’re using terms of service, as using a VPN might be breaking their ToS.
You can watch the free NRL highlights and replays outside Australia via 9Now by using a VPN. 9Now is a free service that will show NRL highlights and replays, but it’s geo-restricted to Australia only. By using a reliable VPN like NordVPN, you can bypass these 9Now geo-restrictions.
