How to watch URC rugby: TV channels, live streams for 2025/26 season

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Watch URC live streams in 2025/26 to see if Leinster can retain their title (David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

This guide explains how to watch a URC live streams during the 2025/26 season.

- Dates: 26 September 2025 - 20 June 2026

- Watch every URC fixture: Premier Sports (UK/Ireland)

- Watch FOR FREE: Select fixtures on S4C (UK)/TG4 (Ireland)

- Watch from anywhere: Get 70% off NordVPN

After a summer that's featured the British & Irish Lions' excursion to Australia, various other summer tours, and the ongoing Rugby Championship, the biggest clubs in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and South Africa reconvene for the latest edition of the United Rugby Championship. The players return to action across the weekend of 26-27 September, as Irish giants Leinster look to retain the title they won in June.

If you happen to be travelling overseas over the course of the season, don't forget you can use a VPN to watch your usual URC live stream from abroad. We've also got details of how fans in the UK and Ireland can watch selected matches for free.

Are there any free URC live streams?

Yes, selected games will be available for free in both the UK and Ireland:

In the UK

Free-to-air Welsh channel S4C has renewed its United Rugby Championship deal, meaning that it will show one match featuring a Welsh region in every round of the competition - a total of 20 live games across the 2025/26 season. A second Welsh fixture will be broadcast on a deferred but as-live basis.

Every URC match broadcast by S4C will be available with commentary in Welsh and English via the S4C terrestrial channel, S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and the S4C Chwaraeon YouTube channel.

In round 1, you can watch Cardiff Rugby v Lions on Saturday 27 September. Kick-off is 7.45pm BST.

In Ireland

TG4 and its TG4 Player now have exclusive free-to-air rights to URC live streams in Ireland. The broadcaster will show at least 26 live games across the course of the season, including the final in June. It will also have selected access to the quarter-finals and semi-finals.

On opening weekend you can watch Stormers v Leinster on Friday 26 September (kick-off 6.00pm BST) and Connacht v Benetton on Saturday 27 September (kick-off 7.45 BST).

If you're away from home but want to watch your usual free URC live stream, it's best to check out NordVPN so you can watch from overseas. Find out more below.

Stream United Rugby Championship matches in the UK

As they did last season, Premier Sports has the rights to every game in the URC. Subscribers can also enjoy coverage of the European Champions Cup, the European Challenge Cup, the French Top 14, US Major League Rugby and Japan Rugby One.

You can get a standalone online streaming subscription to Premier Sports, which works across a variety of apps and devices. It costs £16.99 a month on a rolling basis, £11.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £120 a year (equivalent to £10 per month) if you pay up front.

You can also get Premier Sports on your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player and Virgin Media. The rolling monthly cost is, again, £16.99 though other deals are available on certain platforms.

As previously mentioned, some matches will also be available for free on Welsh service S4C.

How to watch the URC if you're away from home

Whether you're going on holiday mid-season or even travelling overseas to watch one of your favourite team's away days in the competition, you don't have to miss out on any of the action on TV. While geo-blocking can prevent you watching your usual streaming services from abroad, a good VPN (or Virtual Private Network) can help you out.

A VPN is a clever piece of software that allows you to change the IP address of your device. This means that your smartphone, laptop or tablet can appear to be back home, allowing you to watch your usual subscriptions as you would in your own sitting room.

There are loads of VPNs to choose from but right now the tech experts at TechRadar and Tom's Guide reckon NordVPN is the best you can buy.

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URC live streams in South Africa

The Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions are all back in action in the URC, and fans in South Africa can watch them via SuperSport.

There are various SuperSport packages available, whether you want to watch via DStv or streaming.

Watch the URC in Ireland

While some games will be available for free on TG4, if you want to watch every game you'll need to subscribe to Premier Sports.

If you're an existing Sky Sports customer, you can add Premier Sports to your subscription 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 their website for details).

Stream the URC in the USA

Rugby fans who want to follow the URC in the United States need a subscription to FloRugby, where you can also watch the European Champions Cup, the Gallagher PREM and Super Rugby.

A rolling monthly FloRugby subscription costs $29.99, with an annual subscription costing $150. This effectively works out at $12.50 per month, and gets you access to the entire FloSports network, which is handy if you're also into cycling, motorsport and American football.

URC round 1 fixtures

Opening round fixtures are below. If you want to plan ahead, check out our guide to United Rugby Championship fixtures in the 2025/26 season.

Friday 26 September 2025 Stormers v Leinster (FREE on TG4 in Ireland)

DHL Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 6.00pm BST Ulster v Dragons

Affidea Stadium, Belfast

Kick-off: 8.05pm BST Glasgow Warriors v Sharks

Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

Kick-off: 8.05pm BST Saturday 27 September 2025 Bulls v Ospreys

Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 1.00pm BST Zebre Parma v Edinburgh Rugby

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma

Kick-off: 3.05pm BST Scarlets v Munster

Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli

Kick-off: 5.30pm BST Cardiff Rugby v Lions (FREE on S4C in the UK)

Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

Kick-off: 7.45pm BST Connacht v Benetton (FREE on TG4 in Ireland)

Dexcom Stadium, Galway

Kick-off: 7.45pm BST

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