The 2026 National Football League season kicks off with a season-opening doubleheader on February 28 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This marks the third consecutive year that the NRL season has begun in Las Vegas in a bid to appeal to a wider U.S. audience.
The remainder of the NRL season will be played in Australia and New Zealand. If you want to capture every moment, you can watch all the highlights by subscribing to WatchNRL.com or watch them for free on Channel 9 Australia. Not in Australia currently? That’s okay – if you live in the United States or anywhere else in the world, you’ll be able to watch these games and the rest of the season with the help of a VPN. Here’s how you can watch all the 2026 US rugby matches
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How to watch the 2026 National Football League:
date: March 1, 2026 – October 4, 2026
TV channel: Selected games on FS2, all games on Channel 9 Australia
Streaming media: WatchNRL.com or 9Now via VPN
When does the National Football League season open?
The first game of the National Rugby League’s 2026 season takes place on Saturday, February 28 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada between the Newcastle Knights and North Queensland Cowboys, followed by the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs taking on the St. George Illawarra Dragons. The remaining season openers will be played in Australia and New Zealand this weekend, March 5-8, and will be broadcast on 9Now and WatchNRL.com. The full schedule for this weekend’s games is below.
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Who plays in the National Football League?
The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby union with clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand.
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Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
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Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
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Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
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St George Illawarra Dragons
How to watch the NFL without cable TV:
National Rugby League games will be broadcast live free-to-air on Australia’s Channel 9 (via 9Now.com). If you’re outside Australia, you can still catch them with the help of a VPN.
How to live stream NRL from the US
Live outside of Australia but still want to watch the National Football League? For die-hard rugby fans, you can subscribe to watch NRL games on WatchNRL.com, a streaming platform that broadcasts major rugby matches live to international fans around the world. You can get a monthly subscription to the service for $39/month, or upgrade to an annual subscription for $182, and you can watch every game all year long. For a more economical option, the solution is simple: you can listen to the game for free on 9Now.com with the help of a VPN.
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VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) help protect your data, can mask your IP address, and are probably most popular because they are particularly useful in the streaming age. If you want to watch live broadcasts of Australian NRL games, a VPN can help you.
ExpressVPN offers “borderless internet,” meaning you don’t need to take a 24-hour flight to another hemisphere to listen to Australia’s NRL coverage. All you need to do is sign up for ExpressVPN, change your server location to Australia, and find free Channel 9 broadcasts through 9Now.com.
ExpressVPN’s range of additional protection, speeds, and location options make it a great choice for first-time VPN users looking to expand their streaming capabilities, plus it’s Engadget’s top pick for the best VPN for streaming.
Currently, new users can save up to 81% by signing up for a 12-month subscription to ExpressVPN, with basic plan rates starting as low as $2.44 per month. The Premium plan is priced at $3.14/month and the Professional plan is $5.24/month, and no matter which plan you sign up for, you get 4 months free with a 2-year subscription. Additionally, the service comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you’re nervous about trying a VPN.
NRL first round match schedule:
You can find the full schedule for every game this season here.
All times ET
Thursday, March 5
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Melbourne Storm v Parramatta Eels, 4am (9Now, WatchNRL)
Friday, March 5
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Warriors vs Sydney Roosters, 2am (9Now, WatchNRL)
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Brisbane Broncos vs Penrith Panthers, 4am (9Now, WatchNRL)
Saturday, March 7
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Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Gold Coast Titans, 1:30am (9Now, WatchNRL)
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Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Canberra Raiders, 3:35am (9Now, WatchNRL)
Sunday, March 8
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Dolphins vs. Rabbits, 12:05 AM (9Now, WatchNRL)