Leinster are defending champions after smashing the Bulls of South Africa 32-7 in final season’s Grand Final to take a fifth title in eight season, albeit a primary since 2021. Leo Cullen’s aspect will once more begin as favorites this season, with Caelan Doris, Sam Prendergast, Josh van der Flier and James Lowe offering the majority of the Irish worldwide aspect.
The Bulls had been second within the desk final 12 months, and can once more be sturdy, with Springbok regulars Willie le Roux, Ruan Nortje and Cobus Wiese amongst their quantity. Fellow South Africans the Sharks have Boks skipper Siya Kolisi, plus monstrous ahead Ox Nche.
Among the Welsh sides, the Scarlets were the only to reach last season’s playoffs and will hope that can be a springboard for a better showing in the principality. Prop Harri O’Connor and South African hooker Marnus van der Merwe mean their pack is strong.
The Fagerson brothers Matt and Xander are the highlights of the Glasgow Warriors squad, with Huw Jones providing line-breaking guile at center after a solid showing for the British and Irish Lions in Australia earlier this summer.
Here’s where to watch the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship live streams online from anywhere, potentially for FREE.
Watch the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship for FREE
Rugby union fans, rejoice! Select matches from the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship are being shown on free-to-air streaming platforms in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Each gameweek, Welsh-language TV channel S4C will present a minimal of 1 United Rugby Championship fixture that includes a Welsh aspect. This can even be obtainable on streaming platform BBC iPlayer. There can even be an additional ‘deferred dwell’ sport every week, which implies 20 dwell video games and 18 deferred broadcasts throughout the 25/26 season.
In Ireland, in the meantime, free-to-air Irish-language broadcaster TG4, and its streaming platform, will present a minimal of 26 dwell video games involving Irish sides through the common 2025/26 United Rugby Championship season. TG4 will share protection of the play-offs, too, excluding the Grand Final.
What in case you’re overseas? Rugby fans from the UK and Republic of Ireland can use NordVPN to watch their usual streaming service from anywhere.
How to watch any United Rugby Championship 2025/26 stream using a VPN
A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it’s back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN proper now? We advocate NordVPN – it does all the things and comes with a 70% low cost.
How to watch United Rugby Championship 2025/26 live streams in the US
The 2025/26 United Rugby Championship live streams are on FloRugby within the USA. That’s proper, every of the 151 matches can be proven dwell and on-demand on the streaming platform.
Plans begin from $29.99 a month, or you possibly can go for the $150 annual subscription.
On trip exterior the US? Use a VPN to watch FloRugby from abroad when you’re away from residence.
How to watch 2025/26 United Rugby Championship live streams in the UK
In the UK, Premier Sports is the one vacation spot to observe all 151 matches the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship. Some 131 of those can be solely dwell.
A subscription prices £15.99 per 30 days, however in case you’re keen to decide to a 12 months you may pay £99.00, which works out at £8.25 every month.
Premier Sports additionally holds the rights to the Champions Cup, Top 14 and United Rugby Championship, La Liga and Coppa Italia.
As we have talked about above, free-to-air choices S4C and BBC iPlayer will present 20 dwell matches involving Welsh sides through the season.
If you are a UK resident however touring exterior the nation you possibly can use a VPN to catch the action for on Premier Sports from abroad.
How to watch 2025/26 United Rugby Championship live streams in South Africa
The 2025/26 United Rugby Championship will be televised on subscription service SuperSport.
You’ll need to get a DStv access package to observe the URC on SuperSport with costs beginning at R99 ($5.66) per 30 days.
Abroad proper now? Just use a VPN and inform your machine that you just’re again residence and you will be good to go.
How to watch 2025/26 United Rugby Championship live streams in Australia
Fans based in Australia can watch live streams of all 151 fixtures in the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship on the competition’s dedicated streaming platform URC TV.
A season’s cross prices €59.99 (it is billed in Euros), and can allow you to watch all 151 fixtures from the United Rugby Championship 2025/26.
Away from Australia, or your private home nation, proper now? Use a VPN to watch EPCR TV from abroad.
How to watch 2025/26 United Rugby Championship live streams in Canada
Rugby fans in Canada can watch live streams of all 151 fixtures in the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship on the competition’s dedicated streaming platform URC TV.
A season’s cross prices €44.99 (it is billed in Euros), and can allow you to watch all 151 fixtures from the United Rugby Championship 2025/26. Or, in case you favor to stream on a month-by-month foundation, it’s going to value you €6.75 per 30 days.
Traveling exterior the Great White North proper now? Use a VPN to watch URC TV from abroad.
Official Challenge Cup final broadcasters by region
Premier Sports has the rights to the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship in Asian countries.
The 2025/26 United Rugby Championship is being shown on URC TV in every country where the competition hasn’t been picked up by a broadcaster.
2025/26 United Rugby Championship Q+A
Can I watch the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship for free?
Yes! As we’ve outlined above, select matches will be available to viewers in the UK (S4C and BBC iPlayer) and Republic of Ireland (TG4) to observe the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship without spending a dime.
Fans away from residence can use a VPN to watch the free coverage from abroad.
What are the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship groups?
Ireland
Connacht
Munster
Leinster
Ulster
Wales
Ospreys
Scarlets
Dragons
Cardiff
South Africa
Bulls
Lions
Sharks
Stormers
Scotland
Edinburgh
Glasgow Warriors
Italy
Benetton
Zebre Parma
Who are the current United Rugby Championship winners?
2025 – Leinster
2024 – Glasgow Warriors
2023 –Munster
2022 – Stormers
2021 – Leinster
2020 – Leinster
2019 – Leinster
2018 – Leinster
2017 – Scarlets
2016 – Connacht
2015 – Glasgow Warriors
What format is the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship?
There are 16 groups within the United Rugby Championship: 4 from Ireland, Wales and South Africa, and two from Italy and Scotland. These groups are break up into 4 regional swimming pools, with the 2 Scottish and Italian groups making 4 swimming pools of 4 groups.
Every aspect performs residence and away towards the groups of their regional pool, and likewise play one other 12 fixtures towards groups from different swimming pools. After the round-robin stage, the highest eight within the desk go on to the Playoffs.
As an additional incentive, the highest aspect from every regional pool additionally qualifies for the Heineken Champions Cup, with the remaining 4 locations within the competitors go to the best ranked groups who haven’t but certified. The eight remaining groups then play within the European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Can I watch the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship on my cell?
Of course, most broadcasters have streaming providers which you can entry by means of cell apps or through your telephone’s browser.
You also can keep up-to-date with all issues United Rugby Championship on the official EPCR Challenge Cup social media channels on X (@URCOfficial), YouTube (@UnitedRugbyChampionship) and Instagram (@URC).
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