You can watch the Rugby World Cup 2023 through a mix of free-to-air channels, national broadcasters, and legal streaming platforms, plus replays that are still available online in 2026.

Quick Scoop

  • Most major rugby nations had an official broadcaster (TV channel + app/streaming service).
  • In many countries (like the UK, Ireland, Australia), a large part of the tournament was available free-to-air with online streams.
  • In others (like the US, New Zealand), you generally needed a paid sports or streaming subscription.
  • If you missed it live, full-match replays and highlights are still online now.

Main ways to watch (by region – during 2023)

These options describe how people legally watched the 2023 tournament while it was live; many of these platforms still host replays or highlight packages.

United Kingdom

  • Live TV: ITV (ITV1, ITV4).
  • Streaming: ITVX app/website offered free live streams and catch-up (with ads) for viewers in the UK.
  • Requirement: UK TV licence for live TV; account (free) for ITVX streaming.

Example: A UK viewer in 2023 could simply create a free ITVX account, log in on a smart TV or phone, and watch every match live without extra subscription fees.

Ireland

  • Live TV: RTÉ and Virgin Media.
  • Streaming: RTÉ Player and Virgin Media Player for live and on-demand coverage in Ireland.

Australia

  • Free matches: Channel 9 showed Wallabies games and the final free-to-air.
  • Free streaming: 9Now app/website for those free games.
  • Full tournament: Stan Sport (add-on streaming service) showed all 48 matches ad‑free, live and on demand.

New Zealand

  • Full tournament: Sky Sport NZ held full rights to every game.
  • Streaming: Sky Go app/online for subscribers.
  • The final was also free on Sky Open.

United States

  • Main streaming: Peacock (NBC’s streaming service) showed every match live with a Premium or Premium Plus plan.
  • TV: Select matches (including the final) were on NBC and CNBC.

Example: A US fan in 2023 could subscribe to Peacock Premium, open the app on a smart TV, and watch all group and knockout games live or on replay.

Other notable markets

  • France: TF1, France TV, and M6 held broadcast rights.
  • South Africa: SuperSport.
  • Japan: NHK, Nippon TV, and J-Sports.
  • Argentina and much of Latin America: ESPN Latin America / Star+.
  • India: FanCode.

Using streaming and VPNs (2023 context)

Many viewers outside the official coverage regions used VPNs to access free streams from countries like the UK, Ireland, or Australia, but you should always check local laws and each platform’s terms of service.

Typical path fans followed:

  1. Sign up for a VPN service that offers servers in the country whose stream they want (for example, UK or Australia).
  1. Connect to a server in that country.
  1. Create an account on the local streaming platform (e.g., ITVX in the UK, 9Now in Australia), often requiring basic details like email and sometimes a local postcode.
  1. Watch live or on‑demand coverage as if located there, subject to the platform rules.

Many guides from 2023 highlighted VPNs as a way to keep watching home coverage while traveling abroad, not just to bypass geoblocking for fun.

Watching now in 2026 (replays)

While the Rugby World Cup 2023 is over, there are still ways to re‑live it in 2026:

  • Official World Rugby/YouTube: There is a playlist with full match replays such as the New Zealand vs South Africa final and various pool classics.
  • Broadcaster archives: Services like ITVX, Stan Sport, Sky Sport NZ, Peacock, and others may still host extended highlights or replay packages depending on rights renewal and local availability.

If you want the most “complete” rewatch experience right now, starting with the official full‑match replays playlist and then dipping into highlight shows via your local rugby broadcaster is usually the easiest route.

Quick regional reference table

[1][3][7] [1][7] [5][3] [5][7] [3][1][7] [7] [7] [7] [7] [7]
Region 2023 main TV channel(s) 2023 main streaming option(s) Free or paid (live)
United Kingdom ITV ITVX Free (with TV licence, ads).
Ireland RTÉ, Virgin Media RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Player Free-to-air coverage.
Australia Channel 9 (select games), Stan Sport 9Now, Stan Sport Mix of free (9/9Now) and paid (Stan Sport).
New Zealand Sky Sport, Sky Open (final) Sky Go Mostly paid (Sky), final also free.
United States NBC, CNBC (select games) Peacock Paid streaming on Peacock.
France TF1, France TV, M6 Network apps/websites Mix of free and pay depending on channel.
South Africa SuperSport SuperSport streaming Paid sports subscription.
Japan NHK, Nippon TV, J-Sports Network apps/websites Mixed free/pay coverage.
Argentina / Latin America ESPN Latin America Star+ Paid subscription.
India - FanCode Paid streaming.

TL;DR

  • During 2023, you watched live on your country’s official broadcaster or its app (ITVX, 9Now, Stan Sport, Sky, Peacock, etc.).
  • Some countries offered all or many matches free‑to‑air; others required a paid sports or streaming subscription.
  • In 2026, you can still catch full‑match replays and highlights via official YouTube playlists and broadcaster archives.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.