England face a tricky start to their campaign in Perth.
Watch England v Tonga as Brian McDermott’s men get their Rugby League World Cup 2026 campaign underway against the Pacific islanders.
Although Great Britain won the tournament in 1960 and 1972, the best England have ever managed without the other home nations is runners-up. Given the relative strength of Australia and New Zealand, few are expecting the third best team in the world to improve on that record this year, though getting out of the pool will be seen as a minimum requirement. England will know that defeat in Perth will make achieving that goal an uphill task – especially after Samoa’s 78-4 thrashing of France.
Standing in their way are Tonga, opposition who will have semi-final aspirations of their own. They have plenty of experience playing rugby league’s biggest guns in the Pacific Cup, and beat the Kiwis away two years ago. In other words, this should be one of the ties of this opening round of fixtures.
Read on to find out everything you need to know to watch England v Tonga online, on TV and from anywhere – including an option to watch for free in Australia. You’ll find team line-ups at the bottom of the page.
England v Tonga: Key information
– Date: Saturday 17 October, 2026
– Venue: HBF Park, Perth
– Kick-off time: 10.05am BST / 8.05pm AEDT / 10.05pm NZDT / 5.05am EDT / 2.05am PDT
– FREE STREAMS: 7 Plus (Australia)
– TV channels/Live streams: Premier Sports (UK, Ireland, US), Sky Sport (New Zealand)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk free
Watch England v Tonga for FREE in Australia
As for every game in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, fans down under can watch England v Tonga live streams for free on Seven and its 7plus streaming service. You’ll just need to supply your email address to create a free account.
If you’re a resident of Australia travelling overseas this weekend, a VPN can help you tune in to this Rugby League World Cup opener from wherever you are. More info on that below…
How to stream England v Tonga from anywhere
Away from home right now? That doesn’t have to stop you from watching England’s Rugby League World Cup 2026 opener on your usual free streaming service. A VPN bypasses geo-blocking by changing your IP address, allowing you to tune in as if you were at home.
Our colleagues at Tom’s Guide test out loads of VPNs and reckon NordVPN is currently the best in the world. It’s also great for improving your device’s security when you’re online, which is great for your peace of mind.
Watch England v Tonga in the UK and Ireland
Premier Sports has the UK rights to every Rugby League World Cup match in the UK and Ireland, including this England v Tonga live stream.
In the UK an online subscription to Premier Sports costs £18.99 a month on a rolling basis, £13.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £150 a year (£12.50 per month) if you pay up front. It works across a variety of apps and devices.
You can also tune into Premier Sports on your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player and Virgin Media. The rolling monthly cost is, again, £18.99 though other deals are available on certain platforms.
In Ireland Sky Sports subscribers can add Premier Sports as part of the Sports Extra pack (which also includes TNT Sports). This costs €10 per month for the first six months, before rising to €25 per month for the next six months.
Premier Sports is also available with a Now Sports Extra membership (day and month memberships are available from €11.99 per month), and through Virgin Media – check the provider’s website for details.
England v Tonga live streams in the USA
England v Tonga live streams are available on Premier Sports in the US. A RLWC26 Pass, which gives you access to all 53 games of the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments, will set you back $25.
Premier Sports has the rights to England v Tonga live streams in over 120 countries, so if your territory isn’t mentioned individually above there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find it there. Prices vary by region.
England v Tonga line-ups
England
1. AJ Brimson
2. Dominic Young
3. Hugo Savala
4. Herbie Farnworth
5. Zach Eckersley
6. George Williams (captain)
7. Harry Smith
8. Max King
9. Brad O’Neill
10. Morgan Knowles
11. Junior Nsemba
12. Kai Pearce-Paul
13. Victor Radley
Interchange:
14. Jez Litten
15. Luke Thompson
16. Ethan Havard
17. Sam Walters
Tonga
1. Lehi Hopoate
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Tolutau Koula
4. Robert Toia
5. Sosefo Smith Tufulele
6. Latu Fainu
7. Isaiya Katoa
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Soni Luke
10. Jason Taumalolo (captain)
11. Haumole Olakau’atu
12. Siua Wong
13. Tyson Frizell
Interchange:
14. Salesi Foketi
15. Stefano Utoikamanu
16. Demitric Vaimauga
17. Leka Halasima
Officials
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch judges: Dave Munro, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Senior review official: Ashley Klein
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