The first-ever Nations Championship lands in the northern hemisphere this weekend. Six matches are heading your way across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and there are options to watch every one for FREE.

So far, South Africa and New Zealand are setting the pace with 100% records, while Fiji and Italy are the only teams still looking for their first wins. In terms of the battle between the hemispheres it’s honours even, with both north and south having claimed nine victories so far.

Round 4 kicks off on Friday night, when Ireland host Argentina at the Aviva Stadium. Then there’s a packed Saturday, with Italy v South Africa, Scotland v New Zealand, Wales v Japan and France v Fiji. The curtain comes down on the weekend at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Sunday afternoon, when England face Australia.

The good news is that you can watch every single second as it happens, and – even better – Nations Championship live streams are available for FREE if you live in the UK, Ireland or France.

Below we’ve rounded up details of how to watch the Nations Championship 2026 wherever you are in the world – including details of how you can use a VPN to access your usual streaming services if you’re travelling overseas right now.

– Nations Championship Northern Series dates: 6-29 November, 2026
ITV (UK), Virgin Media (Ireland), TF1 (France), SuperSport (South Africa), Stan Sport (Australia), Sky Sport NZ (New Zealand), Wowow (Japan)
– Nations Championship FREE Streams: ITVX, Virgin Media Play, TF1+, RugbyPass TV
– Watch Nations Championship from anywhere: Try

Watch for FREE: Nations Championship free streams

Viewers in the UK, Ireland and France can enjoy the Nations Championship action for free.

• In the UK, you can watch every Nations Championship game on ’s TV channels and the streaming service. Games featuring Wales are also available with Welsh language commentary on S4C, BBC iPlayer and S4C Clic.
• In Ireland, Nations Championship live streams for every game will be available on . Most matches will also be available on terrestrial channel .
• In France, free broadcaster has the exclusive rights to show Nations Championship matches. Every fixture will be on streaming service , with most matches also aired on broadcast channels TF1, TMC or TFX.

How to watch the Nations Championship from anywhere

Being abroad doesn’t have to stop you watching the Nations Championship. A VPN bypasses geo-blocking by changing your IP address, letting you stream Nations Championship 2026 matches as if you were at home. The tech experts at and rate NordVPN as world number one, thanks to its low price and unrivalled ability to unblock streaming services.

What Nations Championship 2026 games are on TV this weekend?

• Ireland v Argentina
  Aviva Stadium, Dublin
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Saturday) / 9.10am NZDT (Saturday) / 3.10pm ET / 12.10pm PT

• Italy v South Africa
  
  Kick-off: 11.40am GMT / 12.40pm CET / 1.40pm SAST / 10.40pm AEDT / 12.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 6.40am ET / 3.40am PT
• Scotland v New Zealand
  Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
  Kick-off: 2.10pm GMT / 3.10pm CET / 4.10pm SAST / 1.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 3.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 9.10am ET / 6.10am PT
  
• Wales v Japan
  Principality Stadium, Cardiff
  Kick-off: 4.40pm GMT / 5.40pm CET / 6.40pm SAST / 3.40am AEDT (Sunday) / 5.40am NZDT (Sunday) / 11.40am ET / 4.40am PT
  
• France v Fiji
  
  Kick-off: 8.10pm GMT / 9.10pm CET / 10.10pm SAST / 7.10am AEDT (Sunday) / 9.10am NZDT (Sunday) / 3.10pm ET / 12.10pm PT
  

• England v Australia
  Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
  Kick-off: 3.10pm GMT / 4.10pm CET / 5.10pm SAST / 2.10am AEDT (Monday) / 4.10am NZDT (Monday) / 10.10am ET / 7.10am PT

How to watch Nations Championship 2026 in the UK

In the UK, has exclusive rights to every Nations Championship 2026 game.

All of the matches will be available on the streaming service, as well as the broadcaster’s terrestrial channels.

This weekend:

• Ireland v Argentina, Italy v South Africa, Scotland v New Zealand, Wales v Japan, France v Fiji and England v Australia will all be on ITV1.

ITVX is free to use, but you’ll need to complete a short registration to access the service. You also require a valid TV Licence to stream live TV in the UK.

How to watch Nations Championship 2026 in Ireland

Free-to-air is showing every Nations Championship fixture on its streaming platform in Ireland.

This weekend, terrestrial channel is also devoted to the rugby, meaning you can watch all six matches without touching your remote.

Virgin Media Play is free to use, but you do need to sign up to the service before you can access its content.

Down under? Nations Championship live streams for all 42 games are available through which is also home to loads of other rugby action Premier League and Champions League soccer.

It costs $20 a month to add Stan Sport to your general Stan plan (prices start at £9.99 a month).

Watch Nations Championship 2026: live stream from South Africa

Springboks fans will be hoping their side can add this new competition to their bulging trophy cabinet, and they can watch all the action on .

SuperSport will be familiar to rugby fans in South Africa, with a host of other tournaments airing on the network. You can get SuperSport on your TV via DStv, or you can stream online.

There are various SuperSport packages available, so have a look at what works best for you.

US broadcaster for the 2026 Nations Championship

In countries where no broadcaster has snapped up Nations Championship rights – including the United States – you can watch Nations Championship games on World Rugby’s .

It’s free to use, though you do need to register before you can watch any of the action.

Live stream the Nations Championship from New Zealand

has the New Zealand rights to the Nations Championship, along with plenty more world-class sporting action – including All Blacks games and Premier League soccer.

You can subscribe to Sky Sport Now from $59.99 per month or $549.99 per year (equivalent to $45.83 per month). Day passes are also available for $29.99.

Watch the Nations Championship in France

Free broadcaster  has picked up the rights to the entire Nations Championship in France.

Every game will be available on the TF1+ streaming platform, with selected matches available across the broadcaster’s TV channels. This weekend:

• Ireland v Argentina will be on .
• Italy v South Africa and Wales v Japan will be on .
• Scotland v New Zealand, France v Fiji and England v Australia will be on .

Watch the Nations Championship in Italy

In Italy, 2026 Nations Championship games will air on .

Sky Sport is a paid-for service available on satellite television and its own streaming platform.

Nations Championship live streams in Japan

The Nations Championship broadcaster in Japan is subscription service .

Nations Championship results so far

• New Zealand 34 v 32 France
  One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
  
• Japan 27 v 10 Italy
  
• Australia 31 v 33 Ireland
  
• Fiji 24 v 39 Wales
  Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
  
• South Africa 45 v 21 England
  
• Argentina 38 v 47 Scotland
  Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba

• New Zealand 47 v 17 Italy
  Hnry Stadium, Wellington
• Australia 26 v 42 France
  
• Japan 20 v 36 Ireland
  McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
• Fiji 8 v 73 England
  Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England
• South Africa 42 v 28 Scotland
  
• Argentina 35 v 21 Wales
  Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario, San Juan

• New Zealand 40 v 21 Ireland
  
• Japan 15 v 42 France
  
• Australia 57 v 10 Italy
  
• Fiji 17 v 33 Scotland
  Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Argentina 24 v 31 England
  Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.

Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.

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.