How to watch Nations Championship Rugby 2026 Round 5 for free from anywhere
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The Nations Championship returns for Round 5 on Friday, November 13, when France host South Africa at Stade de France in Paris. France lead the Northern Hemisphere standings after beating Fiji in Round 4, while South Africa remain top of the Southern Hemisphere standings following their win over Italy.
Six cross-hemisphere fixtures take place across France, Italy, Wales, England, Ireland, and Scotland this weekend. The tournament is free to stream in the UK, Ireland, and France through official local broadcasters. If you are traveling, a VPN may help you access your usual home streaming service, subject to that platform’s terms and account requirements.
Where to watch Nations Championship Rugby 2026
Here’s where to watch the Nations Championship across major markets:
| Country | Streaming service | Price |
| United Kingdom | ITVX / ITV / STV | Free |
| Ireland | Virgin Media Play | Free |
| France | TF1+ | Free |
| Australia | Stan Sport / 9Now for selected Wallabies coverage | From AU$20/month / Free |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport NZ | From NZ$54.99/month |
| South Africa | SuperSport | Varies by DStv package |
| United States | RugbyPass TV | Free with registration |
| Canada | Premier Sports | Paid |
| Italy | Sky Sport Italia | Paid |
| Japan | WOWOW | Paid |
The official tournament rights guide confirms ITV, Virgin Media, TF1, Sky Italia, SuperSport, Nine, WOWOW, Sky New Zealand, Premier Sports in Canada, and RugbyPass TV in the US as broadcast partners.
Nations Championship Rugby 2026 Round 5 fixtures
| Match | Venue | Date | Kickoff time |
| France vs South Africa | Stade de France, Paris | Friday, November 13 | 8:10pm GMT / 9:10pm CET |
| Italy vs Argentina | Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa | Saturday, November 14 | 11:40am GMT / 12:40pm CET |
| Wales vs New Zealand | Principality Stadium, Cardiff | Saturday, November 14 | 2:10pm GMT / 3:10pm CET |
| England vs Japan | Allianz Stadium, Twickenham | Saturday, November 14 | 4:40pm GMT / 5:40pm CET |
| Ireland vs Fiji | Aviva Stadium, Dublin | Saturday, November 14 | 8:10pm GMT / 9:10pm CET |
| Scotland vs Australia | Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh | Sunday, November 15 | 3:10pm GMT / 4:10pm CET |
The official fixture list schedules Round 5 from November 13-15, while current UK listings confirm the Saturday and Sunday kickoff times.
How to watch Nations Championship Rugby 2026 for free
The entire Nations Championship 2026 is available for free on ITVX in the UK, Virgin Media Play in Ireland, and TF1+ in France. These services carry live coverage and on-demand programming, but they are geo-restricted to their home territories because of broadcasting rights. If you are traveling abroad, a VPN may help you access your usual service, subject to the platform’s terms and account requirements. See our guide to the best VPNs for streaming to compare suitable options.
- Choose a reliable VPN. We recommend NordVPN for streaming the Nations Championship. It uses the NordLynx protocol for smooth HD streaming and supports Smart DNS on compatible smart TVs.
- Download and install the VPN app on your device, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, or supported smart TVs.
- Connect to a server in the UK for ITVX, Ireland for Virgin Media Play, or France for TF1+.
- Go to the official streaming platform in your browser or app.
- Create a free account if required, then start streaming live or on demand.
How to watch in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia
How to watch in the United Kingdom
Every Nations Championship match is available through ITV channels and ITVX in the UK. Round 5 fixtures are available through ITV and ITVX, while Wales fixtures are also available with Welsh-language commentary through S4C, BBC iPlayer, and S4C Clic. ITV is the tournament’s exclusive UK broadcast partner.
ITVX is free with registration. You need a valid TV Licence to watch live TV in the UK, whether you are using an ITV channel or ITVX.
How to watch in Ireland
Virgin Media Television shows all 42 Nations Championship matches live and free-to-air in Ireland. Round 5 matches are available on Virgin Media Play, while Virgin Media’s linear channels carry selected live coverage.
The platform is called Virgin Media Play. It is free to use, but registration is required before you can access its live and on-demand content.
How to watch in France
TF1 has the French rights to every Nations Championship fixture. All matches are available live on TF1+, while selected games also air on TF1, TMC, or TFX. TF1 has confirmed that France vs South Africa airs live on TF1 and TF1+ on Friday, November 13.
How to watch in the United States
RugbyPass TV is the official US broadcaster for the Nations Championship. It is free to use, but you must register for an account before accessing live coverage. RugbyPass TV confirms that it carries live matches, replays, and highlights free in the US.
Best VPNs to watch Nations Championship Rugby 2026
The VPNs below are suitable options for accessing your usual UK, Irish, or French streaming service while traveling. Availability can vary by broadcaster, device, account type, and local platform rules.
- NordVPN - best overall for streaming. NordVPN starts at $3.49/month on a two-year plan and keeps about 86% of baseline speed in Cybernews testing. Its NordLynx protocol, Smart DNS feature, and apps for major devices make it a strong option for watching ITVX, Virgin Media Play, or TF1+ while traveling. Read our full NordVPN review for details.
- Surfshark - best budget option. Surfshark starts at $2.49/month and supports unlimited simultaneous connections. Its WireGuard protocol and wide device support make it useful for households streaming live rugby on several screens. See our Surfshark review for more.
- Proton VPN - best for privacy-focused users. Proton VPN starts at $2.49/month, operates under Swiss jurisdiction, and offers a free plan with limited features. Its paid plans offer streaming features and apps for common devices. Check our Proton VPN review for the full breakdown.
How to watch Nations Championship Rugby 2026 on different devices
Not every streaming service runs on every device, and VPN availability also varies by platform. The table below shows what works where so you can pick the easiest setup for your screen.
| Device | ITVX | Virgin Media Play | TF1+ | NordVPN | How to use VPN |
| Web browser, desktop | Web | Web | Web | Yes | Native app |
| Web browser, mobile | Web | Web | Web | Yes | Native app |
| iPhone / iPad | App | App | App | Yes | Native app |
| Android phone / tablet | App | App | App | Yes | Native app |
| Android TV / Google TV | App | App | App | Yes | Native app |
| Amazon Fire TV | App | Sideload | App | Yes | Native app |
| Apple TV | App | App | App | Yes | Native app |
| Samsung TV, Tizen | App | No | App | No | Smart DNS or router |
| LG TV, webOS | App | No | App | No | Smart DNS or router |
| Roku | No | No | No | No | Router or Smart DNS |
| PlayStation | Web / cast | Web / cast | Web | No | Router |
| Xbox | Web / cast | Web / cast | Web | No | Router |
The web browser is the easiest path on most devices. Connect the VPN, then open the broadcaster’s website. Devices without a native VPN app, such as Samsung TVs, LG TVs, Roku, PlayStation, and Xbox, need either a router-level VPN setup or Smart DNS. NordVPN supports both methods and provides setup guidance for compatible routers.
FAQ
What is the Nations Championship 2026?
The Nations Championship 2026 is a new biennial international rugby tournament featuring 12 teams: the Six Nations (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales) and the Rugby Championship (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa), plus Fiji and Japan. The format splits teams into two groups (Northern vs Southern Hemisphere) competing across six rounds – three in July, three in November – culminating in Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham from November 27–29, 2026. A total of 42 matches will be played across the tournament.
When does the Nations Championship 2026 end?
The tournament is now in Round 5. Round 6 follows on November 20-21, before Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, from November 27-29, 2026.
Can I watch the Nations Championship for free?
Yes, the entire tournament is free in the UK on ITVX, Ireland on Virgin Media Play, and France on TF1+. RugbyPass TV provides free live coverage, replays, and highlights in the US with registration. Australia also has selected Wallabies coverage available through 9Now, while Stan Sport carries every match live and on demand.
How can I watch the Nations Championship from abroad?
If you are traveling outside the UK, Ireland, or France, use the official broadcaster for your current location where available. UK, Irish, and French viewers who are temporarily abroad may be able to use a VPN to access their usual home service, subject to the broadcaster’s terms and account requirements. We recommend NordVPN to watch the Nations Championship while traveling.
Where can I watch Nations Championship highlights and replays?
ITVX, Virgin Media Play, and TF1+ offer on-demand tournament programming in their respective home territories. RugbyPass TV also provides live matches, replays, and highlights free in the US. Access to on-demand catalogs can be geo-restricted in the same way as live streams.
