How to watch the 2025 NRL Grand Final live and free overseas
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The 2025 NRL Grand Final day is underway at Accor Stadium in Sydney, where the NRLW Grand Final between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos has kicked off. The Broncos opened the scoring with a converted try from Romy Teitzel, taking an early 6–0 lead.
The Roosters were forced into late changes after Amber Hall was ruled out with a calf injury, while Tamika Upton continues to be a key playmaker for Brisbane. The match began at 4:00 PM AEDT, following a 3:20 PM pre-game show, and is broadcast live on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Earlier in the day, the New Zealand Warriors defeated the Burleigh Bears 50–20 to claim the NRL State Championship, setting the stage for the main event later tonight.
At 7:30 PM AEDT, the Melbourne Storm will meet the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL Grand Final, following a 6:30 PM pre-game entertainment lineup headlined by Teddy Swims, along with cultural performances and the national anthem.
Both Grand Finals stream live and free on 9Now in Australia. Fans overseas can also watch by connecting to an Australian server through a VPN to access 9Now as if they were at home.
Grand Final Sunday features the State Championship, NRLW decider, and NRL premiership clash, making it the most significant day of the rugby league calendar. In this guide, you’ll find the full schedule, international broadcast options, and steps to watch live from abroad.
How to watch NRL Grand Final for free with VPN
- Choose a reliable VPN with servers in Australia – I recommend NordVPN, currently 75% OFF
- Download and install the VPN application on your device
- Launch the VPN and connect to a server located in Australia
- Open your browser and go to the 9Now website
- Find the NRL Grand Final and start streaming for free
Where to watch the 2025 NRL Grand Final
The 2025 NRL Grand Final will be broadcast live in Australia and internationally through official partners. In Australia, Channel 9 is the exclusive free-to-air broadcaster, with live streaming available on 9Now. For fans overseas, the match is shown on local sports networks or the official international platform, Watch NRL.
| Region | Streaming service | Cost | Details |
| Australia | 9Now | Free | Official streaming service; simulcast of Channel 9; requires Australian IP or VPN abroad |
| Australia | Channel 9 | Free | Exclusive free-to-air broadcaster with live coverage of the Grand Final |
| Australia | Kayo Sports / Foxtel | Paid | No live Grand Final; offers pre-match, post-match, and analysis programming |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport NZ / Sky Sport Now | Paid | Official rights holder for the live Grand Final broadcast |
| Overseas | Watch NRL | From $25/week | Official international streaming service with live and on-demand access; not available in Australia or New Zealand |
| USA | Fox Sports 2 | Paid | Live TV broadcast for US viewers |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event | Paid | Official broadcaster showing the Grand Final live in the UK |
What time does the 2025 NRL Grand Final start around the world?
All matches and entertainment on Grand Final day will be broadcast live on Channel 9 and streamed free on 9Now in Australia. Here’s how the day unfolds, with key times in major regions:
| Event | Australia (AEDT) | UK (BST) | US (EDT) | US (PDT) |
| Gates open at Accor Stadium | 1:00 PM | 3:00 AM | 10:00 PM (Oct 4) | 7:00 PM (Oct 4) |
| State Championship Final | 1:20 PM | 3:20 AM | 10:20 PM (Oct 4) | 7:20 PM (Oct 4) |
| NRLW Grand Final pre-show | 3:20 PM | 5:20 AM | 12:20 AM | 9:20 PM (Oct 4) |
| NRLW Grand Final: Roosters vs Broncos | 4:00 PM | 6:00 AM | 1:00 AM | 10:00 PM (Oct 4) |
| NRL Grand Final pre-game entertainment (Teddy Swims) | 6:30 PM | 8:30 AM | 3:30 AM | 12:30 AM |
| NRL Grand Final: Storm vs Broncos | 7:30 PM | 9:30 AM | 4:30 AM | 1:30 AM |
How to watch the NRL Grand Final in USA 🇺🇸
In the United States, the 2025 NRL Grand Final will air live on Fox Sports 2 (FS2). The official FS2 schedule confirms coverage of both the NRLW Grand Final, listed as “NRL Women’s Premiership”, and the men’s Grand Final, listed as “NRL Rugby”. This gives American viewers access to the two biggest matches of Grand Final day live from Accor Stadium in Sydney.
listings. For fans who want full Grand Final day coverage — including the curtain-raiser, women’s and men’s finals, and on-demand replays — the official Watch NRL streaming service is available, starting from $25 per week.
How to watch the NRL Grand Final in USA for free
You can also watch the NRL Grand Final in the USA for free on 9Now by using a VPN. Connect to an Australian server, log in to 9Now, and you’ll be able to stream the men’s and women’s Grand Finals live just as if you were in Australia.
How to watch the NRL Grand Final in UK 🇬🇧
In the United Kingdom, the 2025 NRL Grand Final will be shown live on Sky Sports, which holds the official rights for NRL and NRLW matches. According to the official Sky Sports Rugby League schedule, coverage includes both the women’s and men’s deciders from Accor Stadium in Sydney. The NRLW Grand Final between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos airs at 6:00 AM BST on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Mix, while the men’s NRL Grand Final between the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos follows at 9:30 AM BST on Sky Sports Mix.
Fans without a Sky Sports subscription can also access the broadcasts through NOW TV, which offers daily and monthly passes for Sky Sports channels. As an alternative, the official Watch NRL service provides live and on-demand coverage of the entire Grand Final day, including both the women’s and men’s finals.
How to watch the NRL Grand Final in New Zealand 🇳🇿
In New Zealand, the 2025 NRL Grand Final will be broadcast live on Sky Sport, with online streaming available through Sky Sport Now. Sky’s coverage includes the full day of events — the State Championship, the NRLW Grand Final between the Roosters and Broncos, and the men’s decider between the Storm and Broncos. A Sky Sport Now pass costs NZ$29.99 for a Day Pass, NZ$54.99 for a Month Pass, or NZ$549.99 annually, giving fans access to all Sky Sport channels and ESPN. For New Zealanders abroad, the official Watch NRL streaming service is the best way to follow the action live.
Why use a VPN to watch the NRL Grand Final outside Australia?
The NRL Grand Final streams live on 9Now, but the platform is only available in Australia. If you’re overseas, the stream won’t load because of geo-blocks.
If you use a VPN, you can connect to a server in Australia and make it look like you’re watching locally. That way, 9Now unlocks, and you can enjoy the match live from anywhere in the world.
Best VPNs for streaming the NRL Grand Final on 9Now
Not all VPNs can unlock streaming platforms like 9Now — some get blocked, while others are too slow to keep up with a live game. To find the ones that actually work, we tested dozens of services for server availability, streaming consistency, and speed.
From that testing, these are the top 3 VPNs we recommend for watching the NRL Grand Final live on 9Now, no matter where you are in the world.
